Star India all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who was named the Player of the tournament at the recently concluded ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, emerged as the costliest buy of the 2026 WPL mega auction while other ODI World Cup standouts, left arm spinner Shree Charani and South Africa’s skipper Laura Wolvaardt, also walked away with hefty pay cheques in New Delhi on Thursday, November 27.
The seasoned Deepti expectedly fetched the big bucks with UP Warriorz using the Right to Match (RTM) card to retain the India all-rounder for a whopping INR 3.20 crore (USD 357,523). She is now the second-highest-paid Indian player in WPL history, just INR 20 lakh (USD 22,345) behind Smriti Mandhana.
“We definitely expected price to be in the range of what we saw. It’s the premium what you pay for high quality spin bowling all-rounders and there was no doubt that we wanted Deepti back,” UP Warriorz Director of Cricket Operations Kshemal Waingankar said.
Mumbai Indians made one of the day’s biggest moves by buying New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for INR 3 crore. The 25-year-old was part MI’s title winning runs in 2023 and 2025.
UP Warriorz surprisingly shelled out INR 2.40 crore for the veteran India all-rounder Shikha Pandey, who last played for the national side in 2023.
Charani, a key performer in India’s triumphant World Cup run, was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for INR 1.30 crore, almost five times her base price of INR 30 lakh, after an intense bidding battle with the Warriorz.
Delhi Capitals continued their aggressive approach, outbidding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to land South Africa captain Wolvaardt for INR 1.10 crore and West Indian batter Chinelle Henry (INR 1.30 crore) while also adding India all-rounder Sneh Rana for INR 50 lakh.
“In Laura we’ve got a tremendous player who can fill in those shoes. She will add a lot of leadership into the dressing room, but we are very clear that we want to go with an Indian captain,” DC co-owner Parth Jindal said.
The Warriorz, armed with the auction’s largest purse of INR 14.5 crore, were among the busiest franchises. Along with Deepti, they exercised RTM cards to bring back young pace sensation Kranti Gaud (INR 50 lakh) and England’s premier spinner Sophie Ecclestone (INR 85 lakh).
They further bolstered their Indian core by signing Asha Shobhana INR Rs 1.10 crore and Harleen Deol for her base price of INR 50 lakh.
Gujarat Giants bagged India pacer Renuka Singh for INR 60 lakh, while RCB picked up big-hitting South African finisher Nadine de Klerk (INR 65 lakh) as well as India all-rounders Arundhati Reddy (INR 75 lakh) and Radha Yadav (INR 65 lakh).
The seasoned duo of Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine were also among the marquee picks. Giants bought Devine, who recently annouced her retirement from ODI cricket, for INR Rs 2 crore, while UP Warriorz landed Australian cricket icon and former skipper Lanning, who led Delhi Capitals to three finals, for INR 1.90 crore after a fierce tussle with her former team DC.
The Warriorz also added rising Australian star Phoebe Litchfield for INR 1.20 crore and Indian batter Pratika Rawal, who will miss the season due to a foot injury, for INR 50 Lakh.
However the biggest shock of the day came as big-hitting Australia captain Alyssa Healy, who missed the 2025 season due to injury and was the first name to go under the hammer, found no takers.
Her compatriot spinner Alana King too went unsold despite being featured in the accelerated round.
As many as 67 players were bought of the 77 available slots.
