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Deepti Sharma was retained by UP Warriorz for ₹3.20 crore on the WPL auction. WPL 2026 starts January 9 in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, with Mumbai Indians as defending champions.
Deepti Sharma (Instagram)
Deepti Sharma expectedly drew the closest attention on the WPL auction on Thursday, with UP Warriorz activating their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain the star India all-rounder for a commanding ₹3.20 crore. Interestingly, Deepti became the primary player to fetch greater than INR 3 crore from the UP-based franchise.
The marquee set, featuring eight top-tier players, saw intense bidding for seasoned internationals. Gujarat Giants picked up Recent Zealand’s power-hitter Sophie Devine for ₹2 crore, while UP Warriorz added Australian great Meg Lanning to their squad for ₹1.90 crore after a fierce contest with Delhi Capitals. Lanning, who guided DC to a few consecutive finals, remained probably the most sought-after names.
Mumbai Indians followed with one other major splash, securing Recent Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr — last season’s joint-highest wicket-taker — for ₹3 crore.
Warriorz, armed with the largest purse of ₹14.5 crore, stayed busy throughout the early rounds. They used their RTM card again to bring back England’s premier left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone for ₹85 lakh, strengthening their spin attack.
Delhi Capitals secured South African opener Laura Wolvaardt for ₹1.10 crore, while Gujarat Giants added India pacer Renuka Singh for ₹60 lakh. In a surprising twist, Australia captain Alyssa Healy, the primary player to be listed, went unsold, raising eyebrows across the auction room.
WPL 2026 Venues Announced
The fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League will happen in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, starting January 9. Traditionally held within the February–March window, the tournament has been brought forward this 12 months to accommodate the boys’s T20 World Cup, which starts on February 7.
Announcing the schedule in the course of the WPL auction, Chairperson Jayesh George confirmed that the upcoming season will follow the caravan model once more. The primary leg of the tournament will probably be hosted on the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai — the identical ground where India recently lifted the ladies’s ODI World Cup — before the league shifts to Vadodara for the second phase. The season finale is scheduled for February 5.
Mumbai Indians, who’ve dominated the three-year-old competition thus far, will enter the tournament as defending champions.
(With PTI Inputs)
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way in which for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I even have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way in which for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I even have had … Read More
November 27, 2025, 16:55 IST
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