The Women's Premier League (WPL) teams have announced their retention lists ahead of the 2026 auction, with some surprising releases that are sure to shake up the competition. Several high-profile players, including India's Deepti Sharma and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, will be heading to the auction pool.
Deepti Sharma, who was named Player of the Tournament at the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2025 after scoring 215 runs and taking 22 wickets, was released by UP Warriorz. This decision was unexpected, considering her stellar performance and all-round abilities. Along with Deepti, UP Warriorz also released their captain Alyssa Healy. The Warriorz have opted for a significant overhaul, retaining only one player, the uncapped Shweta Sehrawat. This gives them the largest purse available at the auction, with ₹14.5 crore to spend.
Gujarat Giants have also made a significant decision by releasing South African captain Laura Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded Women's World Cup. They also released Australian player Phoebe Litchfield.
Other notable players who will be up for grabs at the auction include Meg Lanning, and Amelia Kerr.
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have both utilized their full allowance of retentions, securing five players each. This means they will not have any Right to Match (RTM) options available at the auction. Mumbai Indians have retained their captain Harmanpreet Kaur, along with all-rounders Amanjot Kaur, Hayley Matthews and Nat-Sciver Brunt. They also retained the uncapped G Kamalini. Delhi Capitals have retained Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Shafali Verma, and the uncapped Niki Prasad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have retained four players: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil.
With the retentions finalized, teams are now strategizing for the auction, which is expected to take place later this month. The composition of each team will need to consist of between 16 and 18 players. The WPL 2026 promises to be an exciting season with the expected changes in team composition.
