WPL Auction 2026: 11 Players Cross Crore Mark, Deepti Becomes 2nd Costliest Indian

Udaipur, Nov 28, 2025: When UP Warriors released Deepti Sharma before this year’s auction, it was clear she would be one of the biggest attractions at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction. This is exactly what happened at the event held in New Delhi on Friday. Deepti Sharma was bought by UP Warriors for ₹3.20 crore, making her the second-most expensive Indian player in WPL history.

Most Expensive Indian Cricketer in WPL

Smriti Mandhana holds the record as the most expensive Indian player, bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for ₹3.40 crore in 2023. A total of five franchises bid for 67 players. Deepti, one of India’s most experienced all-rounders, had a base price of ₹50 lakh. Delhi Capitals made the first bid for her at the base price, but UP Warriors used the Right to Match (RTM) card.

Shikha Pandey Gets ₹2.40 Crore

The auctioneer asked Delhi Capitals for the final bid, and they went up to ₹3.20 crore. UP Warriors then used RTM to retain their former captain. Deepti was earlier bought for ₹2.60 crore in the 2023 auction. UP Warriors also spent ₹2.40 crore on Shikha Pandey, making her the third-most expensive player in the auction.

Amelia Kerr Becomes the Costliest Foreign Player

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr was bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹3 crore. She became the most expensive foreign player of the WPL 2026 auction. Mumbai and UP Warriors fought a long bidding battle for Kerr. Starting at a base price of ₹50 lakh, the bids went up 26 times before Mumbai finally won.

Alyssa Healy Goes Unsold

Australia captain and former UP Warriors skipper Alyssa Healy went unsold, which was the biggest surprise of the auction. No team placed a bid for her. Other well-known names like Elana King, Uma Chhetri, Tajmin Britz, and Amandeep Kaur also remained unsold.

Numbers from the Auction

• A total of 67 players were sold.
• Bids were placed on 277 players.
• 11 players crossed the ₹1 crore mark.
• Five franchises spent ₹40.80 crore in total.

Most Expensive Players (WPL 2026 Auction):

• Deepti Sharma, UP Warriors – ₹3.2 crore
• Amelia Kerr, Mumbai Indians – ₹3 crore
• Shikha Pandey, UP Warriors – ₹2.4 crore
• Sophie Devine, Gujarat Giants – ₹2 crore
• Meg Lanning, Gujarat Giants – ₹1.9 crore
• Chenille Henry, Delhi Capitals – ₹1.3 crore

Most Expensive Indian Players:

• Deepti Sharma – ₹3.2 crore
• Shikha Pandey – ₹2.4 crore
• Sree Charani – ₹1.3 crore
• Asha Shobana – ₹1.1 crore
• Pooja Vastrakar, RCB – ₹85 lakh

Most Expensive Foreign Players:

• Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Mumbai Indians – ₹3 crore
• Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Gujarat Giants – ₹2 crore
• Meg Lanning (Australia), UP Warriors – ₹1.9 crore
• Chenille Henry (West Indies), Delhi Capitals – ₹1.3 crore
• Phoebe Litchfield (Australia), UP Warriors – ₹1.2 crore
• Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Delhi Capitals – ₹1.1 crore

Most Expensive Players in WPL History:

• Smriti Mandhana, RCB – ₹3.4 crore
• Deepti Sharma, UP Warriors – ₹3.2 crore
• Ashleigh Gardner, Gujarat Giants – ₹3.2 crore
• Nat Sciver-Brunt, Mumbai Indians – ₹3.2 crore