Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals reportedly retain five players each
Five retentions for RCB, two for Gujarat Giants, report adds
Franchises have auction purse of INR 15 crore each for 2026 season
India's World Cup-winning cricket stars Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shafali Verma are reportedly among several high-profile players retained by Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchises ahead of the 2026 mega auction.
Meanwhile, Women's World Cup 2025 Player of the Series Deepti Sharma, along with Australian cricketers Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning, and New Zealand's Amelia Kerr, were released by their respective franchises, according to an ESPNcricinfo report.
Franchise Retention Numbers And WPL Rules Explained
As per the report, two teams — defending champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals — each retained five players, which is the maximum allowed by the WPL. Royals Challengers Bengaluru have retained four players, while Gujarat Giants have kept two and UP Warriorz have retained one, the report adds.
As per WPL retention rules, a franchise can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, up to two overseas players, and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players. Moreover, if a franchise wishes to retain five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian player.
Right-To-Match Option Introduced
The Women’s Premier League has introduced a significant change by allowing franchises to use a right-to-match (RTM) option for the first time. This new rule enables teams to buy back a player from their 2025 squad during the auction process, adding a valuable strategic layer.
Franchises received an auction purse of INR 15 crore each for the 2026 season, with the mega auction expected to take place in Delhi on November 27, the report further states.
(With PTI inputs)
