Wolvaardt, Healy, Ecclestone - Which WPL team needs which superstar

The auction for the 2026 season will take place on Thursday with 277 players going under the hammer

25-Nov-2025 • 7 hrs ago

How do MI fill remaining spots with INR 5.75 crore purse?

A total of 277 players will go under the hammer at the WPL 2026 auction on November 27 in Delhi, with 73 slots - including 23 overseas - up for grabs. There are several high-profile players in the auction, including the likes of Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, who are all listed in the marquee set. There are a total of 83 overseas players, out of which 23 are from Australia and 22 are from England. While Delhi Capitals will enter the auction with the lowest purse of INR 5.7 crore, UP Warriorz, who retained only one uncapped player in Shweta Sehrawat, will have the highest purse of INR 14.50 crore. Here's how the five teams shape up ahead of the auction:

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Players retained: Nat Sciver-Brunt - INR 3.5 crore, Harmanpreet Kaur - INR 2.5 crore, Hayley Matthews - INR 1.75 crore, Amanjot Kaur - INR 1 crore, G Kamalini - INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.25 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.75 crore; No RTM option available

What they need most: MI have already secured a solid batting line-up in addition to excellent all-round options in Matthews, Sciver-Brunt and Amanjot. They have a young wicketkeeper in Kamalini but will nonetheless look for an experienced one to deepen their options, along with bolstering their attack with specialist bowlers and an Indian spinner.

Potential big targets: Amelia Kerr, Kim Garth, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Ayabonga Khaka, Saika Ishaque

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Players retained: Smriti Mandhana - INR 3.5 crore, Richa Ghosh - INR 2.75 crore, Ellyse Perry - INR 2 crore, Shreyanka Patil - INR 60 lakh
Money spent: INR 8.85 crore; Purse remaining: INR 6.15 crore; One RTM option available

What they need most: RCB will be looking to get a big-hitting opener to partner captain Mandhana. They will also prioritise strengthening their bowling line-up, with an experienced seamer high on the list.

Potential big targets: Laura Wolvaardt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Renuka Singh, Lauren Bell, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Sophie Ecclestone

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Players retained: Jemimah Rodrigues - INR 2.2 crore, Shafali Verma - INR 2.2 crore. Annabel Sutherland - INR 2.2 crore, Marizanne Kapp - INR 2.2 crore, Niki Prasad - INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.3 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.7 crore; No RTM available

3:21

Rodrigues or Sutherland - who is DC's next captain?

What they need most: A solid opener to complement Shafali. With two high-quality pace-bowling allrounders in Sutherland and Kapp, their focus will be on building a strong spin attack and adding an experienced wicketkeeper. Having released their captain Lanning, they could also go for one of Alyssa Healy or Wolvaardt, who not only fill the opener gap but are also potential captain options.

Potential big targets: Laura Wolvaardt, Alyssa Healy, Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, Phoebe Litchfield, N Shree Charani

Gujarat Giants (GG)

Players retained: Ash Gardner - INR 3.5 crore, Beth Mooney - INR 2.5 crore
Money spent: INR 6 crore; Purse remaining: INR 9 crore available; Three RTM options available

What they need most: Having retained only two players, GG will focus on building an experienced lower order and a strong bowling line-up, the two departments that were their weak links last season. They will also target a few experienced Indian batters.

Potential targets: Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Nadine de Klerk, N Sree Charani, Kim Garth, Renuka Singh

UP Warriorz (UPW)

Player retained: Shweta Sehrawat - INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 50 lakh; Purse remaining: INR 14.50 crore; Four RTM options available

What they need most: With virtually a blank slate and a purse of INR 14.50 crore, UPW will look to get several players from the marquee set. After finishing at the bottom last season, when their batting misfired until their final league game and the bowling looked out of sorts, they will be keen to add experience particularly among Indian players. They will also be in the hunt for a new captain.

Potential big targets: Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Sophie Devine, Kranti Gaud, Amelia Kerr

UP Warriorz Women Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Gujarat Giants Women Delhi Capitals Women Mumbai Indians Women Women's Premier League

Sruthi Ravindranath is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo