New WPL teams expected soon, says DC's Parth Jindal at WPL 2026 auction

DC owner says an expanded WPL could enable a home-and-away format; franchise signs Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry and Shree Charani at the 2026 auction.

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Delhi Capitals owner Parth Jindal said he is optimistic that new teams will be added to the Women's Premier League (WPL) in the the coming years. He made the remark on the sidelines of the WPL 2026 auction at the JW Marriott hotel in New Delhi on Thursday.

 

"I think it’s imminent that one or two new teams will come in at some point. That’s why this cycle is such a short one, with two WPLs in 14 months. I’m pretty sure the BCCI is planning to add a team," Jindal said at the press conference at the JW Marriott hotel.

 

The DC owner reiterated the need for a home-and-away format for the WPL in the coming years.

 

"Maybe with that addition (adding one or two more teams), we move to a home-and-away format. That would be ideal — for the fans, for the game, and for the growth of the WPL," he said.

 

Jindal also confirmed that the franchise’s new captain would be an Indian.

 

"We are very clear that we would like to have an Indian as the captain. Depending on who else we land, we already have our mind made up, but let’s see what happens. Laura will add a lot of leadership to the dressing room, but yes, we want to go with an Indian captain," he added. 

 

Jindal feels the recent Women's ODI World Cup win will push the sport's popularity to unprecedented levels. He is pleased that he invested in WPL at the right time.

 

"Three years ago, we all owners took a leap of faith into the women's game and we're so thrilled that we did that. And for us, when the bidding happened, we were very clear that this is a spot that is only going to go from strength to strength.

 

"I wrote it in one of my tweets as well that this World Cup win in 2025 is the 1983 movement for women's cricket. The interest in the WPL this season is going to be like it's never been before," Jindal said.

  What happened at the WPL 2026 auction for Delhi Capitals?  

DC bagged South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt for Rs 1.1 crore

 

Wolvaardt, who entered the auction with a base price of Rs 30 lakh after turning out for the Gujarat Giants in the first three seasons, attracted immediate interest. RCB and DC went head-to-head as the bid surged past Rs 85 lakh. RCB briefly regained control with a Rs 90 lakh offer and looked set to land her before Delhi returned to push the price to Rs 1.1 crore, sealing the deal.

 

The move also reignited speculation about a possible Mandhana–Wolvaardt opening pair for RCB, only for Delhi to shut the door with their late intervention.

 

"We went where we could with Meg, but I think in Laura we’ve got a tremendous player who can fill those shoes. Not only was she the highest run-scorer in the recent World Cup, but she also has great leadership ability as well. So I think she’ll be a great addition to the dressing room," Capitals owner Jindal said.

 

How Delhi bagged West Indian Chinelle Henry?

 

In another fierce bidding war, Delhi secured Chinelle Henry for Rs 1.3 crore. Henry, who featured in a handful of matches for UP Warriorz last season as a mid-season replacement, drew early bids from RCB and DC as her price rose quickly from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 60 lakh.

 

RCB led with a Rs 1.2 crore offer before DC stepped in just as the hammer was about to fall, closing the deal at Rs 1.3 crore.

 

"With Henry coming in — she can bowl with the new ball — and one of the things we felt we lacked last season, or in the last cycle, was explosiveness in the lower order. And I think she brings that. With the Sutherland cap, Henry, and then with Arne Nake, and you have Shafali and Nikki, all of whom can bowl, I think we’ll have more than six bowling options and a very deep batting order," Jindal added.

 

How Delhi brought back Shree Charani?

 

Shree Charani returned to Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.3 crore after a lively round of bidding at the WPL auction. Formerly with DC, she had drawn significant pre-auction interest, especially after Mumbai Indians coach Lisa Keightley praised her, prompting speculation that MI might make a strong bid.

 

UP Warriorz opened at Rs 30 lakh, with DC — her first WPL team — joining immediately. Smiles in the MI camp hinted at a possible late entry, but they stayed out as UP and DC took the bid to Rs 75 lakh.

 

Warriorz briefly withdrew before re-entering to raise the offer to Rs 90 lakh. DC countered once more and eventually clinched Charani for Rs 1.3 crore. There was no possibility of an RTM, as she had played for DC in 2025.

 

Delhi Capitals – Players bought at WPL 2026 auction
Player	Base Price	Winning Bid	Capped / Uncapped
Chinelle Henry	₹30 lakh	₹1.3 crore	Capped
N. Charani	₹30 lakh	₹1.3 crore	Capped
Laura Wolvaardt	₹30 lakh	₹1.1 crore	Capped
Sneh Rana	₹30 lakh	₹50 lakh	Capped
Lizelle Lee	₹30 lakh	₹30 lakh	Capped
Deeya Yadav	₹10 lakh	₹10 lakh	Uncapped

  Delhi Capitals' retained players' with salary 

  Jemimah Rodrigues (India), Shafali Verma (India), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Annabel Sutherland (Australia), Niki Prasad (India).