WPL 2026 auction: UP spend big on Shikha and Deepti; Healy goes unsold

The second-most expensive deal of WPL 2026 auction came from Mumbai Indians, who signed New Zealand's Amelia Kerr for Rs 3 crore. UP bags Shikha for Rs 2.4 crore after intense bidding war with RCB

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The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction delivered intense bidding wars as all five franchises spent Rs 40.8 crore to buy 67 players to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season, which will begin on January 9 at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The spotlight, however, firmly rested on India all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who emerged as the most expensive player of the day after UP Warriorz used the Right to Match (RTM) card to secure her for Rs 3.20 crore.

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Smriti Mandhana remains the costliest cricketer in the WPL after being bought for Rs 3.4 crore at the 2023 auction. Her retainership fee for WPL 2026 is Rs 3.5 crore.

 

Meanwhile, in the biggest surprise of the evening, Australia captain Alyssa Healy remained unsold at the WPL 2026 auction.

 

UP Warriorz’ big return: Why they released Deepti and bought her back

 

UP Warriorz mentor Lisa Sthalekar shed light on the franchise’s decision not to retain Deepti ahead of the auction — a move that raised several eyebrows.

 

“No, we needed to have a bigger purse. If you retain a capped player like Deepti Sharma, you lose Rs 3.5 crore anyway. We needed the flexibility to navigate the early sets where many top players were available,” she said. 

 

Sthalekar added that while it was a calculated risk, the team was relieved to have Deepti back:

“Thankfully, she’s come back. We’re very happy.”

 

The Gujarat Giants later pushed the bid up, but Warriorz exercised their RTM rights at the final moment, making Deepti the day’s top acquisition.

 

Mumbai Indians secure Amelia Kerr in major marquee purchase

 

The second-most expensive deal came from Mumbai Indians, who signed New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr for Rs 3 crore. The all-rounder, joint-highest wicket-taker last season, was a key target for the franchise hoping to retain a stable core.

 

MI head coach Lisa Keightley emphasised the value of continuity:“We were excited to have the same core back. Sometimes you underestimate how important that is. We were near our limit but Amelia is worth every bit.”

 

Lanning and Devine headline marquee set as bidding heats up

 

The marquee set saw heavy competition, with the seasoned duo of Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine drawing aggressive bids.

 

UP Warriorz bought Lanning for Rs 1.90 crore, outbidding Delhi Capitals for the former DC skipper who led them to three consecutive finals.

 

Gujarat Giants signed Devine for Rs 2 crore, continuing their investment in experienced overseas stars.

 

Warriorz, entering the auction with the highest purse of Rs 14.5 crore, were among the busiest franchises through the early sets.

 

UP Warriorz pull off a bargain: Ecclestone returns for just Rs 85 lakh

 

In one of the day’s surprises, UP Warriorz used their RTM card again to bring back England’s leading spinner Sophie Ecclestone for only Rs 85 lakh.

 

Sthalekar admitted even the team was stunned: “I was very surprised. Rs 85 lakh is an absolute bargain for what she brings. It helped us strengthen the rest of the squad.”

 

Delhi Capitals land Wolvaardt; Renuka Singh goes to Giants

 

Among other key signings, South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt went to Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.10 crore, while India pacer Renuka Singh was picked up by Gujarat Giants for Rs 60 lakh.

 

In a twist, Australia captain Alyssa Healy, who was expected to spark a bidding war, surprisingly found no takers in the opening round. 

 

Shikha Pandey triggers the longest bidding war of the day

 

One of the most dramatic moments came when Shikha Pandey set off a fierce battle between UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

 

• The bid raced past Rs 75 lakh in minutes
• Crossed Rs 1 crore with RCB pushing aggressively
• Reached Rs 1.7 crore as both teams refused to relent
• Climbed past Rs 2 crore, eventually hitting Rs 2.40 crore, where UP Warriorz finally closed the deal

 

Despite not playing international cricket for three years, Pandey’s domestic consistency and work ethic kept her value intact.   

Highest salaries in WPL 2026: retained stars lead the charts

 

While the auction produced record figures, the highest earners of the season were the retained icons:

• Smriti Mandhana (RCB) – Rs 3.5 crore
• Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI) – Rs 3.5 crore
• Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants) – Rs 3.5 crore

 

All three were retained at the top bracket, matching the highest retainership value in WPL history.