Full list of retained, released players for WPL 2026 mega auction on Nov 27

Despite having a stellar performance in the recently concluded ICC Women's World Cup 2025, many members of champion India's side were released by their squads

India’s women’s franchise-based cricket league, i.e., Women’s Premier League (WPL), is set for a mega auction after three successful seasons on Thursday, November 27. This will only be the second mega auction for the tournament after its inaugural season in 2023. All five participating teams were given the option to retain up to five players maximum ahead of the mega auction, where three-time finalists Delhi Capitals and two-time champions Mumbai Indians used all five spots, while 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained four players. Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz retained the least number of players, i.e., just two and one, respectively. 

Indian world champion players in focus

Despite having a stellar performance in the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, many members of champions India’s side were released by their squads and will be taking the centre stage during the mega auction. The list will be headed by Women’s World Cup Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma, spinner Shree Charani, pacer Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, and all-rounder Harleen Deol.

Meg Lanning and Lauren Bell lead the overseas list

While Indian players are expected to take centre stage, many big overseas names will also be going under the hammer. Former Aussie skipper Meg Lanning, who led Delhi Capitals to the finals three seasons in a row, will be headlining the list alongside English pacer Lauren Bell. South African skipper and top scorer of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Laura Wolvaardt, will also be one of the most in-demand players during the auction.

WPL 2026 mega auction rules

The WPL 2026 mega auction rules allow each franchise to retain up to five players ahead of the auction, with certain limits on player categories to ensure competitive balance. A franchise can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, or two uncapped Indian players, and if they retain the full five, at least one retained player must be an uncapped Indian. The retention cost for players follows a fixed slab structure, where the first retained player is valued at ₹3.5 crore, the second at ₹2.5 crore, the third at ₹1.75 crore, the fourth at ₹1 crore, and the fifth at ₹50 lakh. These amounts are deducted from each team's ₹15 crore auction purse, which means a team retaining five players will have ₹5.75 crore left for the auction. Teams can choose to pay more than the slab value for certain players, but the extra amount will be taken from the remaining purse.

RTM card rule explained

The auction introduces the Right-to-Match (RTM) cards for the first time in WPL. The RTM option allows teams to re-sign players released from their squad by matching the highest bid during the auction, but the number of RTMs available depends on how many players a team has retained. If a team retains all five players, they lose the RTM option altogether. A team retaining four players gets one RTM, retaining three players gets two RTMs, and so forth, up to five RTMs for a team that retains no players.

WPL 2026 full list of released and retained players

Delhi Capitals

 

Three-time finalists Delhi Capitals retained five players ahead of the mega auction, which means they will head to the auction with just ₹5.75 crore in their purse to fill the remaining 13 spots and will have no RTM card available.

 

Retained players 

Player	Country
Jemimah Rodrigues	India
Shafali Verma	India
Marizanne Kapp	South Africa
Annabel Sutherland	Australia
Niki Prasad	India

 

Released players 

Player	Country
Meg Lanning	Australia
Sneha Deepthi	India
Alice Capsey	England
Arundhati Reddy	India
Jess Jonassen	Australia
Minnu Mani	India
N Charani	India
Shikha Pandey	India
Nandini Kashyap	India
Sarah Bryce	Scotland
Taniyaa Bhatia	India
Radha Yadav	India
Titas Sadhu	India

 

Mumbai Indians

 

The two-time champions Mumbai Indians also retained five players, which means, just like Delhi Capitals, they will also head into the mega auction with ₹5.75 crore in their purse and no RTM options.

 

Retained players 

Player	Country
Harmanpreet Kaur	India
Natalie Sciver-Brunt	England
Amanjot Kaur	India
G Kamalini	India
Hayley Matthews	West Indies

 

Released players 

Player	Country
Amandeep Kaur	India
Amelia Kerr	New Zealand
Chloe Tryon	South Africa
Jintimani Kalita	India
Sathyamoorty Keerthana	India
Parunika Sisodia	India
Sajeevan Sajana	India
Yastika Bhatia	India
Saika Ishaque	India
Shabnim Ismail	South Africa
Nadine de Klerk	South Africa
Sanskriti Gupta	India
Akshita Maheshwari	India
Danielle Gibson	England

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

 

The 2024 WPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained four players ahead of the WPL 2026 season, which means they will head into the mega auction with ₹6.15 crore remaining in their purse and one RTM card.

 

Retained players 

Player	Country
Smriti Mandhana	India
Ellyse Perry	Australia
Richa Ghosh	India
Shreyanka Patil	India

 

Released players 

Player	Country
Danni Wyatt-Hodge	England
Sabbhineni Meghana	India
Nuzhat Parween	India
Georgia Wareham	Australia
Kanika Ahuja	India
Sneh Rana	India
Renuka Singh	India
Ekta Bisht	India
Pramila Rawat	India
VJ Joshitha	India
Raghvi Bist	India
Jagravi Pawar	India
Charlie Dean	England
Heather Graham	Australia
Kim Garth	Australia

 

Gujarat Giants

 

The Gujarat-based franchise retained just two players from their previous squad and will now head to the auction with the second-most biggest purse of ₹9 crore and three RTM cards available.

 

Retained players 

Player	Country
Ashleigh Gardner	Australia
Beth Mooney	Australia

 

Released players 

Player	Country
Bharti Fulmali	India
Laura Wolvaardt	South Africa
Phoebe Litchfield	Australia
Priya Mishra	India
Dayalan Hemalatha	India
Harleen Deol	India
Sayali Satghare	India
Tanuja Kanwer	India
Shabnam Shakil	India
Mannat Kashyap	India
Meghna Singh	India
Kashvee Gautam	India
Deandra Dottin	West Indies
Simran Shaikh	India
Danielle Gibson	England
Prakashika Naik	India

 

UP Warriorz

 

UP Warriorz, after three underwhelming seasons, decided to release all big names and retained just one capped player, which cost them only ₹50 lakh. This means they will have the biggest purse of ₹14.5 crore with them along with four RTM options.

 

Retained players 

Player	Country
Shweta Sehrawat	India

 

Released players 

Player	Country
Kiran Navgire	India
Vrinda Dinesh	India
Alyssa Healy	Australia
Georgia Voll	Australia
Deepti Sharma	India
Grace Harris	Australia
Poonam Khemnar	India
Sophie Ecclestone	England
Tahlia McGrath	Australia
Uma Chetry	India
Saima Thakor	India
Gouher Sultana	India
Anjali Sarvani	India
Rajeshwari Gayakwad	India
Arushi Goel	India
Kranti Goud	India
Alana King	Australia
Chinelle Henry	West Indies