After three editions of Women’s Premier League, the tournament is set for its first major squad overhaul. Three teams – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru – have had to reluctantly dismantle well-established squads, while UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants have a golden chance to reset. The first marquee set will feature international superstars Laura Wolvaardt, Meg Lanning, Sophie Devine, Sophie Ecclestone, Alyssa Healy, and Amelia Kerr. But all eyes will be on established Indian stars – 10 from the World Cup winning squad – as well as some upcoming talent that teams would have scouted.
Deepti Sharma
Off-spin allrounder (UP)
Base: Rs 50 lakh
Released by UP Warriorz, the World Cup player of the tournament will be one of the most sought-after names in the auction. The MVP of the 2024 edition, Deepti would have a point to prove, and teams will bank on her recent form with the ball and improvements with the bat. It remains to be seen if UPW would use one of their four Retain-To-Match (RTM) options, should she he available at the right price.
N Sree Charani
Left-arm spinner (AP)
Base: Rs 30 lakh
The spinner from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh broke into the Indian team on the back of WPL 2025, and went on to be a key part of the bowling unit during the World Cup campaign with her control and guile. She was singled out by Australia as the key threat too. Interestingly, she has listed herself in the all-rounder category, even though her batting is yet to catch the eye.
Kranti Gaud
Right-arm pacers (MP)
Base: Rs 30 lakh
From Madhya Pradesh’s Ghuwara panchayat, Kranti Gaud has risen quickly through the ranks. A genuinely quick seam-bowling asset is rare in Indian women’s cricket and at 22, Kranti still has room to add a few yards of pace to her game, something franchises would be keen to unlock. Her high ceiling would definitely attract bids across the board, perhaps even higher than the more experienced teammates like Renuka Thakur and Arundhati Reddy.
Sneh Rana
Off-spin allrounder (Railways)
Base: Rs 30 lakh
One of the big surprises of the previous WPL auction was Sneh Rana going unsold, after being let go by Gujarat Giants. But, ‘the comeback queen’ found a new home with RCB as an injury replacement and used that as a launchpad all the way to the World Cup winners’ podium. Her improved power-hitting, which was on display lower down the order, would have certainly caught teams’ attention.
Kiran Navgire
Power-hitter (Maharashtra)
Base: Rs 40 lakh
She’d have probably found bids anyway, but her stocks have risen even higher recently after she smashed the fastest ever T20 century in the format during the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy (34 balls). Her 233 runs in the tournament came at a strike rate of 235.55 with 17 sixes, matched only by Shafali Verma.
Vaishnavi Sharma
Left-arm spinner (MP)
Base: Rs 10 lakh
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Another Madhya Pradesh talent to keep an eye on, Vaishnavi Sharma grabbed the headlines at the start of India’s victorious U19 World Cup campaign earlier this year, with 5/5 against Sri Lanka that included a hat-trick. She was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. She has since carried that onto the domestic circuit, finishing Senior Women’s T20 Trophy at the top of wicket-taking charts with 21 from 9 innings at an economy rate of 4.50
