The Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction saw intense bidding wars, tactical squad-building, and significant investments in both international stars and emerging domestic talent. Leading the headlines was Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux, who secured a lucrative deal with the UP Warriorz, while franchises across the board focused heavily on establishing squad depth and securing versatile match-winners ahead of the upcoming season.
The most notable bidding battle of the day centered around Molineux, whom the UP Warriorz aggressively pursued, ultimately acquiring her services for INR 1.10 crore. UPW had to stave off stiff competition from Molineux’s former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who stayed in the race until their purse nearly ran dry at INR 1.05 crore. Molineux brings immense value to her new franchise, having recently captained Australia to their seventh T20 World Cup title in July, alongside finishing the year as their leading wicket-taker.
Kshemal Waingankar, the director of cricket for UP Warriorz, revealed that acquiring the Australian star was a primary objective for the franchise, noting that they were prepared to secure her "at any cost." Waingankar highlighted that Molineux’s addition, coupled with the retention of world-class spinner Sophie Ecclestone, creates a lethal bowling combination. Furthermore, the UP Warriorz management believes that pairing Molineux with Grace Harris—who was bought back by her former side for INR 30 lakh after being released by RCB—gives the team exceptional tactical flexibility and crucial middle-order power.
Harris, who previously served as Smriti Mandhana’s opening partner and finished as RCB’s second-highest run-getter last season, is well-remembered by UPW fans for her explosive match-winning performances during the league’s inaugural seasons. UP Warriorz also bolstered their ranks by adding experienced India all-rounder Sneh Rana and wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma at their respective base prices of INR 30 lakh. For Rana, this marks her fourth WPL franchise, having previously represented RCB, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals across the first four seasons.
Speaking on her new chapter, Rana expressed excitement about joining forces with familiar faces and playing under legendary leadership. She noted that the UP Warriorz spin attack looks formidable, particularly with her long-standing partnership alongside Deepti Sharma. She also shared her enthusiasm about playing under the captaincy of Meg Lanning, observing that Lanning’s tactical changes and on-field leadership have always stood out from a distance.
In addition to established stars, franchises placed heavy emphasis on securing Associate players and uncapped domestic talent. UP Warriorz added Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce for INR 10 lakh, while her national teammate Kirstie Gordon was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for the same base price. Because Scotland holds Associate nation status, both UPW and the Delhi Capitals retain the tactical option of fielding them as a fifth overseas player in their starting XIs.
Defending champions RCB experienced a relatively quiet start, sitting out the first ten sets of the auction before making their moves in the accelerated round. They secured Australia all-rounder Jess Jonassen for her base price of INR 40 lakh and later added South Africa all-rounder Chloe Tryon for INR 30 lakh. Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals made waves by acquiring India middle-order batter Kiran Navgire as the most expensive Indian player sold at INR 75 lakh. Delhi also made history by signing fifteen-year-old Karnataka all-rounder Uma Kashvi for INR 10 lakh, making her the youngest player ever sold at a WPL auction.
Gujarat Giants also made strategic additions to their roster, purchasing India wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini for her base price of INR 40 lakh after she previously played for Mumbai Indians in 2025 and 2026. Gujarat further strengthened their lineup by securing Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast for INR 30 lakh—setting up the young player for her maiden WPL stint—and sixteen-year-old uncapped all-rounder Samaira Raghav for INR 10 lakh. Notably, established international names such as Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, with a base price of INR 30 lakh, and England batter Sophia Dunkley, with a base price of INR 50 lakh, went unsold.
Teams Stock Up on Uncapped Players
With a maximum of 27 slots available across the five franchises at the commencement of the auction, 25 positions were successfully filled, leaving only RCB and DC with a single slot remaining. True to their need after releasing nine players and entering the day with INR 3.75 crore in their purse, UP Warriorz were the most active, filling all eight of their available slots.
Conversely, Mumbai Indians entered the auction with the smallest remaining purse at INR 90 lakh, prompting a strategy centered heavily on nurturing emerging domestic talent. MI successfully added six uncapped players to their setup: Shweta Sehrawat, Akshita Bhagat, Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, and Sanika Chalke. In total, 12 of the 25 players sold during the auction were uncapped Indian talents, highlighting the franchises’ long-term focus on grassroots development and squad depth.
Luke Williams, the head coach of Mumbai Indians, explained the reasoning behind their targeted acquisitions. He noted that because the franchise was fortunate to retain a solid core group of players, the auction day was dedicated to supplementing the roster. Williams emphasized that the goal was to find players who could either directly challenge for a spot in the starting XI or provide essential coverage and tactical options depending on pitch conditions, injuries, and player form throughout a demanding tournament.
The comprehensive squad changes and strategic investments signal a highly competitive upcoming season, with teams balancing international pedigree with emerging domestic potential to secure their championship aspirations.
Comments (0)