The WPL 2026 auction in New Delhi proved a spectacular day of intense bidding on Thursday, as franchises cemented their squads for the upcoming season, leading to record-breaking deals, fierce RTM battles, and several shocking omissions among global stars.

A total of 67 players were sold, including 23 overseas players, bringing the total spending to INR 40.8 crore.

The Big Earners: Who Cashed In

India's prominent all-rounders dominated the top sales at the WPL auction 2026:

1. Deepti Sharma (Rs 3.20 crore): India star Deepti Sharma emerged as the costliest buy of the auction. UP Warriorz (UPW) fought off competition, utilizing their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain the all-rounder for a colossal Rs 3.20 crore. This fee places her as the second-highest-paid Indian player in WPL history.

2. Amelia Kerr (Rs 3 crore): Mumbai Indians (MI) made a crucial move by buying back New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for Rs 3 crore. The 25-year-old was central to MI's title victories in 2023 and 2025.

3. Shikha Pandey (Rs 2.40 crore): In a high-value surprise, veteran India all-rounder Shikha Pandey, who last represented the national side in 2023, was secured by UP Warriorz for Rs 2.40 crore following a fierce bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Other substantial signings saw New Zealand's Sophie Devine go to Gujarat Giants (GG) for Rs 2 crore, while India's ODI World Cup standout, left-arm spinner Shree Charani, was snapped up by Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 1.30 crore. This was nearly five times her base price. The West Indian batter Chinelle Henry was also secured by DC for Rs 1.30 crore.

Star Transfers and RTM Battles

The WPL 2026 season will feature some familiar faces in new colours following highly contested transfers:

• Lanning's Move: UP Warriorz secured former DC captain Meg Lanning, who led DC to three finals, for Rs 1.90 crore after a tussle with her previous team.

• Wolvaardt to DC: South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, a key performer in the recent World Cup, was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.10 crore, effectively replacing Lanning in the DC roster.

• UPW’s RTM Power: UP Warriorz, holding the largest purse, exercised multiple RTM cards, including bringing back England's premier spinner Sophie Ecclestone for Rs 85 lakh and pace sensation Kranti Gaud for Rs 50 lakh.

• Pace and Power: RCB bolstered their bowling attack by picking up England's rising pace spearhead Lauren Bell for Rs 90 lakh. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians reclaimed veteran South African pacer Shabnim Ismail (the oldest player in the auction at 37) for Rs 60 lakh.

• Pratika Rawal was secured by UPW for Rs 50 lakh despite concerns regarding her recovery from an ankle injury.

• Prema Rawat was retained by RCB using their RTM card after GG raised the bid to Rs 20 lakh.

Shock Snubs: Who Slipped Out

The WPL auction 2026 live coverage revealed several big names surprisingly failing to attract bids:

• Healy Unsold: Star Australian captain Alyssa Healy, the first name under the hammer, went unsold at her base price of Rs 50 lakh.

• Spinning Shocks: Two key spin bowlers were major snubs: Australia’s Alana King, who recently registered record-breaking figures of 7/18 in the Women's World Cup, and Mumbai Indians' former breakout star Saika Ishaque, who took 15 wickets in the 2023 WPL season, both went unsold initially. (Note: Saika Ishaque was later picked up by MI for INR 30 lakh in the final accelerated round).

• Experienced Keepers: India's Uma Chetry, England's Amy Jones, and New Zealand's Isabella Gaze all failed to find buyers, despite their international experience.

• Former RCB player S Meghana and South African opener Tazmin Brits also went unsold.

In total, 277 cricketers went under the hammer, including 194 Indian players and 83 overseas cricketers. The franchises successfully filled 67 of the available 73 slots.

The dynamics of the WPL 2026 auction date demonstrated that proven World Cup pedigree often translated into high value, but current domestic form and T20 specialisation were critical for securing the premium overseas picks, sometimes overriding established international reputations. The RTM card proved, once again, the golden ticket for retaining core talent.