The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega-auction is generating considerable buzz as teams finalize their strategies following the announcement of retained and released players. All five franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Giants (GG), and UP Warriorz (UPW) – have revealed their lists, adhering to the league's retention policy. Each team could retain a maximum of five players, with stipulations on the number of capped Indian, overseas, and uncapped Indian players. The WPL 2026 player auction is scheduled for November 27 in New Delhi.
Retention Rules and Purse Details
The retention policy allows teams to retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. If a team retains five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian player. For the first time, franchises can also use the Right-to-Match (RTM) card to buy back players released before the auction.
Each franchise has a total auction purse of INR 15 crore. The retention slabs determine the amount deducted from the purse for each retained player: INR 3.5 crore for the first player, INR 2.5 crore for the second, INR 1.75 crore for the third, INR 1 crore for the fourth, and INR 50 lakh for the fifth. Accordingly, retaining five players costs INR 9.25 crore, four costs INR 8.75 crore, three costs INR 7.75 crore, two costs INR 6 crore, and one costs INR 3.5 crore. The number of RTMs available to a team decreases with the number of retentions made. Teams retaining all five players forfeit the RTM option entirely.
Franchise-wise Retentions and Releases
Here's a breakdown of the retained players for each franchise:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): The 2024 champions have retained four players: Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.5 crore), Ellyse Perry (INR 2 crore), Richa Ghosh (INR 2.75 crore), and Shreyanka Patil (INR 60 lakhs). Key releases include Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh. RCB enters the auction with INR 6.25 crore remaining and one RTM card.
- Mumbai Indians (MI): The defending champions have retained five players: Harmanpreet Kaur (INR 2.5 crore), Nat Sciver-Brunt (INR 3.5 crore), Hayley Matthews (INR 1.75 crore), Amanjot Kaur (INR 1 crore), and G. Kamalini (INR 50 lakhs). With the maximum possible retentions, MI has no RTM cards and a remaining purse of INR 5.75 crore.
- Delhi Capitals (DC): The three-time runners-up have also retained five players: Jemimah Rodrigues (INR 2.2 crore), Shafali Verma (INR 2.2 crore), Marizanne Kapp (INR 2.2 crore), Annabel Sutherland (INR 2.2 crore), and Niki Prasad (INR 50 lakhs). DC will enter the auction with INR 5.75 crore and no RTM cards. Meg Lanning is among the notable players released.
- Gujarat Giants (GG): GG has retained only two players: Ashleigh Gardner (INR 3.5 crore) and Beth Mooney (INR 2.5 crore). Significant releases include Laura Wolvaardt and Phoebe Litchfield. GG has the second-highest remaining purse of INR 9 crore and three RTM cards.
- UP Warriorz (UPW): In a surprising move, UPW has retained only one player: Shweta Sehrawat (INR 50 lakhs). This gives them the highest remaining purse of INR 14.5 crore and four RTM cards. Big names like Deepti Sharma and Alyssa Healy have been released.
Strategic Implications
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, by retaining the maximum number of players, have signaled their intent to maintain team stability. RCB's retentions indicate a focus on a blend of experience and youthful talent. Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, with their limited retentions, are gearing up for a significant squad overhaul, with UP Warriorz having the most flexibility. The release of prominent players like Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma has added intrigue to the upcoming auction, as these players will likely be highly sought after.
