Deepti Sharma headlined the marquee set, returning to her original franchise after the UP Warriorz used the Right-to-Match card, following Delhi Capitals winning the solitary bid for Rs 50 lakh. DC quoted Rs 3.2 crores and the Warriorz accepted the bid.
She will be joined by Meg Lanning and Sophie Ecclestone in the setup, the latter for whom the Warriorz used their second RTM card.
Here’s the full set of marquee players and the teams they were sold for:
Deepti Sharma
All-rounder Deepti Sharma, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, was sold to UP Warriorz for Rs 3.2 crore at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction in New Delhi on Thursday.
The all-rounder was initially bought by Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 50 lakh, but the UP Warriorz opted to use the Right-to-Match (RTM) card. DC valued her at Rs 3.2 crore, and the Warriorz accepted the bid to regain the player in their squad.
The 28-year-old played three seasons for the UP Warriorz, during which she scored 507 runs in 25 matches at a strike rate of 117.63, with her highest score of 88 not out, which came in the second season against Gujarat Giants. She also took 27 wickets at an economy rate of 8.29.
Sharma captained the Warriorz in Alyssa Healy’s absence, who was ruled out due to a stress injury, in WPL 2025.
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She will enter the fourth season of the league on a high, having won the Player of the tournament in the ODI World Cup, where she took 22 wickets in nine matches. She also scored 215 runs with the bat, including three half-centuries, one of which came in the final, where her run-a-ball 58 helped India reach a match-winning score.
Renuka Singh Thakur
Indian medium pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 40 lakh, was bought by the Gujarat Giants for Rs 60 lakh. The Giants and UP Warriorz tried to acquire her, but the former pipped the latter to sign her up ahead of the fourth season.
The pacer played three seasons for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and was part of the side which lifted the title in 2024. She played 10 matches in the title-winning campaign, claiming two wickets at an economy rate of 8.07. Overall, Renuka played 23 matches in the first three seasons for RCB, claiming 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.34. Her best season was in the third edition, where she took 10 wickets in seven matches.
Renuka played six matches in the Women’s ODI World Cup, including the semi-final and the final, and claimed three wickets in the tournament. Her best performance came against New Zealand, where she took 2/25 in six overs, ensuring the White Ferns did not get off to a flying start in their mammoth run chase in the second innings.
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Sophie Devine
Former New Zealand captain and veteran all-rounder Sophie Devine was bought for Rs 2 crore by Gujarat Giants. Her base prize was 50 lakh.
Devine saw a bidding war between the Giants and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with Delhi Capitals entering the race to sign her at Rs 1.1 crore. Eventually, it was the Giants who acquired her for Rs 2 crore.
The 36-year-old played the first two seasons for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and was part of the title-winning side in the second edition in 2024. She made 136 runs in 10 matches and also took six wickets to help the Smriti Mandhana-led side go all the way in the tournament.
Overall, Devine made 402 runs in 18 matches for RCB at a strike rate of 153.43 with a highest score of 99, which came against the Gujarat Giants in the inaugural edition.
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Devine led New Zealand to victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. She made 114 runs in six matches in the tournament and relinquished the leadership role after the tournament. The all-rounder retired from ODIs at the end of the recently-concluded World Cup, where New Zealand finished in sixth place on the points table.
Sophie Ecclestone
England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, was bought by the UP Warriorz for Rs 85 lakh. RCB and DC were involved in a bidding war for the player, with the latter eventually winning the bid at Rs 85 lakh. The UP Warriorz, however, used the Right-to-Match (RTM) card and regained the player for the same amount.
Ecclestone played three seasons for the Warriorz, claiming 36 wickets in 25 matches at an economy rate of 6.68. Her best showing came in the inaugural edition, where she took 16 wickets in nine matches with best figures of 4/13.
She has also made handy contributions with the bat down the order, amassing 187 runs in 25 matches at a strike rate of 121.42 with a highest score of 33. Ecclestone played a key role in England’s run to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup, claiming 16 wickets in seven matches with two four-wicket hauls to her name.
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The 26-year-old will lend enormous experience to the Warrioz in the upcoming edition and will aim to win her maiden WPL title with her old franchise.
Amelia Kerr
New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, was bought by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 3 crore. The two-time champions were involved in a bidding war for the player with the UP Warriorz, but the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the tussle and brought her back into their setup.
The 25-year-old won the league twice with the Mumbai Indians in 2023 and 2025 and scored 437 runs in 29 matches at a strike rate of 119.39 during her three seasons with the franchise. She also took 40 wickets in 29 matches at an economy rate of 7.64, with a best bowling performance of 5/38.
The all-rounder will bring a wealth of T20 experience for MI, having played in the WBBL and represented the White Ferns 88 times in the shortest format of the game and was the Player of the tournament in New Zealand’s T20 World Cup win in 2024 in the United Arab Emirates.
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Kerr had an underwhelming time during the ODI World Cup, where she made a mere 137 runs in seven matches at an average of 27.40. She also took seven wickets with her leg spin as New Zealand could not progress past the league stage of the tournament.
Meg Lanning
Former Australian captain Meg Lanning, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, was bought by UP Warriorz for Rs 1.9 crore.
The 33-year-old led the Delhi Capitals to three consecutive runner-up finishes and amassed 952 runs in 27 matches at a strike rate of 127.10. Her best season with the bat came in the inaugural edition, where she scored 345 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 139.11 and formed a successful opening partnership with Shafali Verma at the top of the order.
Lanning was released by DC when the retentions were announced earlier this month. She has been in excellent form in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League for Melbourne Stars, with 327 runs in six matches and a best score of 135 against Sydney Sixers.
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She retired from all forms of international cricket in November 2023 at the age of 31. As one of the game’s greatest ever captains, she led Australia to four T20 World Cup titles, an ODI World Cup title and a Commonwealth Games title, the last two coming in 2022.
Alyssa Healy
Australian captain Alyssa Healy, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh and was the first player to come out in the marquee set, went unsold at a base price of Rs 50 lakh. She could be called back later in the accelerated phase.
The 35-year-old played two seasons for the UP Warriorz, scoring 428 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 130.48 and a highest score of 96 not out. She missed the third season of the tournament earlier this year due to a stress injury, with Deepti Sharma leading the side in her absence.
Healy had an outstanding World Cup with the bat, where she made 299 runs in five matches at an average of 74.75 with two centuries to her name. She led Australia to a semi-final finish in the tournament, bowing out after a loss to the hosts India, in a thrilling contest at the D.Y.Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
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Laura Wolvaardt
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, who entered the auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh, was bought by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.1 crore.
The 26-year-old played three seasons in the league for the Gujarat Giants, scoring 342 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 125.73 and a best score of 76. She has led South Africa to runner-up finishes in two ICC tournaments in the last 12 months.
Wolvaardt was the captain when South Africa lost to New Zealand in the 2024 T20 World Cup final in the United Arab Emirates. She was also the tournament’s highest run-getter with 223 runs in six matches.
She also had an exemplary 2025 ODI World Cup in India, where she was the leading run-getter with 571 runs in nine matches at an average of 71.38 and a strike rate of 98.79. Wolvaardt’s contributions went a long way in helping South Africa reach the final of the tournament, where they lost to India.
