WPL Players (2026) – Squad Lists, Auction Prices and Team Analysis

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) continues to redefine the standards of cricket with every passing season. The 2026 edition promises even more intensity following the first ever Mega Auction held in New Delhi. Franchises have completely overhauled their rosters, leading to fresh combinations and unexpected alliances. Fans are eager to see how these new squads perform when the season begins on January 9, 2026.

WPL 2026 Players Overview:

The phrase WPL Players now encompasses a diverse mix of global superstars and emerging Indian talent. The 2026 Mega Auction featured a pool of 277 cricketers vying for just 73 slots. The fierce bidding wars highlighted the immense value franchises place on specific skill sets, particularly versatile all rounders and aggressive top order batters.

Team	Captain	Top Auction Buy (2026)	Key Squad Members	Squad Strength
UP Warriorz	Meg Lanning	Deepti Sharma (₹3.2 Cr)	Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, Shikha Pandey, Phoebe Litchfield	Boasts the most experienced leader in Meg Lanning and a lethal spin attack with Ecclestone and Deepti.
Mumbai Indians	Harmanpreet Kaur	Amelia Kerr (₹3.0 Cr)	Nat Sciver Brunt, Shabnim Ismail, Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia	Retained a championship winning core while adding pace and variety with Ismail and Kerr.
Gujarat Giants	Ashleigh Gardner	Sophie Devine (₹2.0 Cr)	Beth Mooney, Georgia Wareham, Renuka Singh, Bharti Fulmali	Heavy investment in overseas power hitters like Devine and Mooney to support Gardner.
Delhi Capitals	Jemimah Rodrigues*	Chinelle Henry (₹1.3 Cr)	Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt, Annabel Sutherland	A formidable top order with Wolvaardt joining Shafali, though they face a leadership transition.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Smriti Mandhana	Lauren Bell (₹90 L)	Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris	Maintained their glamorous batting lineup while shoring up the pace attack with Lauren Bell.

Most Expensive WPL Players in 2026:

The financial stakes in the WPL have reached new heights. The 2026 auction was dominated by Indian talent, proving that domestic players are the true backbone of this league. Deepti Sharma commanded the room as UP Warriorz utilised their Right to Match (RTM) card to secure her services for a record breaking sum.

Below is the list of the top buys from the WPL 2026 Auction.

Player Name	Country	Role	Team	Price (INR)
Deepti Sharma	India	All Rounder	UP Warriorz	3.20 Crore
Amelia Kerr	New Zealand	All Rounder	Mumbai Indians	3.00 Crore
Shikha Pandey	India	Bowler	UP Warriorz	2.40 Crore
Sophie Devine	New Zealand	All Rounder	Gujarat Giants	2.00 Crore
Meg Lanning	Australia	Batter	UP Warriorz	1.90 Crore
Chinelle Henry	West Indies	All Rounder	Delhi Capitals	1.30 Crore
Shree Charani	India	Bowler	Delhi Capitals	1.30 Crore
Phoebe Litchfield	Australia	Batter	UP Warriorz	1.20 Crore
Asha Sobhana	India	Bowler	UP Warriorz	1.10 Crore
Laura Wolvaardt	South Africa	Batter	Delhi Capitals	1.10 Crore

Deepti Sharma joining UP Warriorz for INR 3.20 crore highlights the premium placed on premier Indian all rounders. 

UP Warriorz Players WPL 2026:

UP Warriorz dominated the headlines during the auction. After retaining only one player, Shweta Sehrawat, they entered the bidding arena with the largest purse of INR 14.5 crore. They used this financial muscle to assemble a team that looks intimidating on paper. The acquisition of Meg Lanning, one of the most successful leaders in cricket history, changes the entire complexion of their squad.

UP Warriorz Full Players List 2026:

Player Name	Role	Price	Nationality
Deepti Sharma	All Rounder	3.20 Cr	India
Shikha Pandey	Bowler	2.40 Cr	India
Meg Lanning	Batter	1.90 Cr	Australia
Phoebe Litchfield	Batter	1.20 Cr	Australia
Asha Sobhana	Bowler	1.10 Cr	India
Sophie Ecclestone	Bowler	85 Lakh	England
Deandra Dottin	All Rounder	80 Lakh	West Indies
Kiran Navgire	Batter	60 Lakh	India
Shweta Sehrawat	Batter	50 Lakh	India
Harleen Deol	All Rounder	50 Lakh	India
Kranti Gaud	Bowler	50 Lakh	India
Pratika Rawal	Batter	50 Lakh	India
Chloe Tryon	All Rounder	30 Lakh	South Africa
Gongadi Trisha	Batter	10 Lakh	India
Shipra Giri	Wicketkeeper	10 Lakh	India
Simran Shaikh	Batter	10 Lakh	India
Tara Norris	Bowler	10 Lakh	USA (Associate)
Suman Meena	All Rounder	10 Lakh	India

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Mumbai Indians Players WPL 2026:

The Mumbai Indians have always prioritised a strong core. Their strategy for 2026 was smart and precise. They retained their leadership group, including Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the dynamic Nat Sciver Brunt. The biggest win for them was buying back Amelia Kerr. She has been pivotal in their previous title runs, and losing her would have left a massive void in their middle order.

They also strengthened their pace attack by signing Shabnim Ismail. Her raw pace and aggression will complement the swing of Nat Sciver Brunt. Mumbai also invested in Nicola Carey, a clever medium pacer and handy batter who brings balance to the side. The scouts at the Mumbai Indians also unearthed talent like Sanskriti Gupta and Rahila Firdous, ensuring the future looks bright.

Mumbai Indians Full Players List WPL 2026:

Player Name	Role	Price	Nationality
Natalie Sciver Brunt	All Rounder	3.50 Cr	England
Amelia Kerr	All Rounder	3.00 Cr	New Zealand
Harmanpreet Kaur	Batter	2.50 Cr	India
Hayley Matthews	All Rounder	1.75 Cr	West Indies
Amanjot Kaur	All Rounder	1.00 Cr	India
Sajeevan Sajana	Batter	75 Lakh	India
Shabnim Ismail	Bowler	60 Lakh	South Africa
G Kamalini	All Rounder	50 Lakh	India
Rajeshwari Gayakwad	Bowler	40 Lakh	India
Nicola Carey	All Rounder	30 Lakh	Australia
Saika Ishaque	Bowler	30 Lakh	India
Ayushi Soni	All Rounder	30 Lakh	India
Sanskriti Gupta	Bowler	20 Lakh	India
Triveni Vasistha	All Rounder	20 Lakh	India
Milly Illingworth	Bowler	10 Lakh	Australia
Poonam Khemnar	All Rounder	10 Lakh	India
Rahila Firdous	Wicketkeeper	10 Lakh	India
Nalla Reddy	Bowler	10 Lakh	India

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Delhi Capitals Players WPL 2026:

Delhi Capitals shocked many by releasing their captain, Meg Lanning, before the auction. However, their retention strategy was solid, keeping hold of the explosive Shafali Verma and the reliable Jemimah Rodrigues. Their auction strategy seemed focused on adding sheer power to the batting lineup.

The purchase of Laura Wolvaardt for INR 1.10 crore was a masterstroke. The South African captain is technically sound and has expanded her game to suit the T20 format perfectly. She brings stability to the top order. Delhi also spent big on Chinelle Henry and Shree Charani, bolstering their bowling stocks. The return of Taniya Bhatia ensures they have a safe pair of hands behind the stumps.

Delhi Capitals Full Players List WPL 2026:

Player Name	Role	Price	Nationality
Jemimah Rodrigues	Batter	2.20 Cr	India
Shafali Verma	Batter	2.20 Cr	India
Annabel Sutherland	All Rounder	2.20 Cr	Australia
Marizanne Kapp	All Rounder	2.20 Cr	South Africa
Chinelle Henry	All Rounder	1.30 Cr	West Indies
Shree Charani	Bowler	1.30 Cr	India
Laura Wolvaardt	Batter	1.10 Cr	South Africa
Sneh Rana	All Rounder	50 Lakh	India
Niki Prasad	Batter	50 Lakh	India
Minnu Mani	All Rounder	40 Lakh	India
Lizelle Lee	Batter	30 Lakh	South Africa
Taniya Bhatia	Wicketkeeper	30 Lakh	India
Nandani Sharma	All Rounder	20 Lakh	India
Deeya Yadav	Bowler	10 Lakh	India
Lucy Hamilton	All Rounder	10 Lakh	Australia
Mamatha Madiwala	Wicketkeeper	10 Lakh	India

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru Players WPL 2026:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) entered the auction with a clear plan to support their captain, Smriti Mandhana. They retained key match winners like Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil. Their auction buys were calculated and effective.

Securing Lauren Bell for INR 90 lakh solves their pace bowling issues. Bell can swing the new ball and pick up early wickets, a crucial factor in T20 matches. The addition of Pooja Vastrakar for INR 85 lakh adds depth to their lower order batting and provides a reliable seam option. Arundhati Reddy and Grace Harris further strengthen the middle order, making RCB a balanced and dangerous unit.

RCB Full Players List WPL 2026:

Player Name	Role	Price	Nationality
Smriti Mandhana	Batter	3.50 Cr	India
Richa Ghosh	Wicketkeeper	2.75 Cr	India
Ellyse Perry	All Rounder	2.00 Cr	Australia
Lauren Bell	Bowler	90 Lakh	England
Pooja Vastrakar	All Rounder	85 Lakh	India
Arundhati Reddy	Bowler	75 Lakh	India
Grace Harris	Batter	75 Lakh	Australia
Nadine de Klerk	All Rounder	65 Lakh	South Africa
Radha Yadav	Bowler	65 Lakh	India
Shreyanka Patil	All Rounder	60 Lakh	India
Georgia Voll	Batter	60 Lakh	Australia
Linsey Smith	Bowler	30 Lakh	England
Dayalan Hemalatha	Batter	30 Lakh	India
Prema Rawat	All Rounder	20 Lakh	India
Gautami Naik	All Rounder	10 Lakh	India
Prathyoosha Kumar	Wicketkeeper	10 Lakh	India

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Gujarat Giants Players WPL 2026:

Gujarat Giants had a point to prove after mixed results in previous seasons. They retained the Australian duo of Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner, ensuring their leadership and primary all round option remained secure. Their auction strategy was aggressive, targeting experience and proven performers.

Sophie Devine was their headline buy at INR 2 crore. The New Zealand veteran brings immense power and leadership experience. They also added Australian spinner Georgia Wareham and Indian pacer Renuka Singh. This mix of overseas experience and Indian bowling talent gives the Giants a much sturdier look than in previous years.

Gujarat Giants Full Players list WPL 2026:

Player Name	Role	Price	Nationality
Ashleigh Gardner	All Rounder	3.50 Cr	Australia
Beth Mooney	Wicketkeeper	2.50 Cr	Australia
Sophie Devine	All Rounder	2.00 Cr	New Zealand
Georgia Wareham	Bowler	1.00 Cr	Australia
Bharti Fulmali	Batter	70 Lakh	India
Kashvee Gautam	Bowler	65 Lakh	India
Renuka Singh	Bowler	60 Lakh	India
Kim Garth	Bowler	50 Lakh	Australia
Yastika Bhatia	Batter	50 Lakh	India
Danni Wyatt Hodge	Batter	50 Lakh	England
Tanuja Kanwer	Bowler	45 Lakh	India
Anushka Sharma	All Rounder	45 Lakh	India
Titas Sadhu	Bowler	30 Lakh	India
Kanika Ahuja	All Rounder	30 Lakh	India
Happy Kumari	All Rounder	10 Lakh	India
Shivani Singh	Batter	10 Lakh	India

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Key Info of Players in WPL 2026:

The WPL 2026 auction was not without its shocks. The most talking about moment was Alyssa Healy going unsold. The Australian captain and wicketkeeper batter found no takers, a decision that baffled many experts. It signals a shift where franchises are prioritising current form and specific team balance over reputation alone.

Another major storyline is the reunion of Meg Lanning and the UP Warriorz. After being released by Delhi, Lanning now finds herself leading a team packed with superstars. The battle between her new team and her old team, the Delhi Capitals, will be a marquee matchup to watch.

The retention of young Indian talent like Shweta Sehrawat and the high bids for uncapped players like Shree Charani prove that the WPL is successfully nurturing the next generation of cricketers. The league is no longer just about foreign stars; it is about the rise of Indian cricket.

Conclusion:

The WPL 2026 season is set to be the most competitive yet. The squad overhauls have levelled the playing field, ensuring that no single team has a clear advantage before a ball is bowled. UP Warriorz has the star power, Mumbai Indians have the continuity, and Delhi Capitals have the explosive batting. Meanwhile, RCB and Gujarat Giants have balanced squads capable of beating anyone on their day.

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