Key Takeaways From Recently Concluded Women's Premier League 2026 Mega Auction

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction in Delhi on Thursday (November 27, 2025) was a spectacle that highlighted the growing financial muscle of the franchises and the status of women's cricket in India.

Launched in 2023, though later than many had hoped, the WPL now features five teams, bringing together the finest international talent, much like its male equivalent, the Indian Premier League.

The fourth edition of the WPL, which runs from January 9 to February next year, will be held at two venues -- Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.

WPL 2026 Mega Auction In A Brief

As many as 277 cricketers, including 194 from India, entered the pool for 73 available slots across the five franchises. Of these, 50 were earmarked for Indian players and 23 for overseas recruits. Each side was required to have a minimum of 15 players and could enlist a maximum of 18, with the overseas quota capped at six.

A combined sum of INR 40.8 crore was spent on 67 players, with intense bidding battles leading to marquee signings such as Deepti Sharma, Amelia Kerr, and Shikha Pandey.

The auction also featured notable moves, with Meg Lanning joining UP Warriorz, Sophie Devine heading to Gujarat Giants, and the unexpected outcome of Australian legend Alyssa Healy remaining unsold.

WPL 2026 Mega Auction - How Teams Stacked Up

UP Warriorz, still in pursuit of their first title, retained only all-rounder Shweta Sehrawat. But they reshaped the squad with heavy investments in stars like Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, and Shikha Pandey. The franchise spent a total of INR 14.85 crore and used the Right To Match (RTM) card to bring back five of the players they had previously released.

Full Squad: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

Delhi Capitals, looking for a successful transition, let go of Meg Lanning, Jess Jonassen, Alice Capsey, Shikha Pandey, etc. They spent all available INR 15 crore to rope in 11 players, including South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, Jamaican Chinelle Henry, and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia.

Full Squad: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Marzianne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Lizelle Lee, Deeya Yadav, Taniyaa Bhatia, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani

Gujarat Giants added Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge to strengthen their overseas core, which already featured big stars in Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney. Notable Indian acquisitions were those of Renuka Singh, Yastika Bhatia, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Kashvee Gautam, Bharti Fulmali, etc.

Full Squad: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

WPL 2026 Mega Auction Shocker

Several high-profile international stars went unsold at the WPL 2026 mega auction. The biggest shock was Alyssa Healy, however. Despite her pedigree, Australia's World Cup-winning captain failed to find a buyer as concerns over recent injuries and inconsistent tournament participation proved detrimental to her selection.

Similarly, Heather Knight, England's experienced leader and a proven middle-order anchor, went unsold. Other notable names missing out included Chamari Athapaththu, Alana King, Amy Jones, Tazmin Brits, Issy Wong, Lea Tahuhu, etc.

Notable Indian players who were overlooked were Veda Krishnamurthy, Punam Raut, Uma Chetry, etc.

WPL 2026 Prospects:

The WPL 2026 mega auction arrived on the heels of India's historic triumph at the ICC Women's World Cup 2025, a victory that has amplified the visibility and momentum of women's cricket in the country.

The WPL is now more than just a domestic league. And with franchises investing heavily in both foreign stars and domestic emerging talent, the 2026 edition promises to be a high-intensity season.

Meanwhile, Parth Jindal, the co-owner of Delhi Capitals -- a franchise with a global sporting footprint -- suggested that the WPL could soon expand to include more teams, while also advocating for the introduction of a traditional "home and away" format.