WPL 2026 Mega Auction is upon us, promising a day of high-stakes drama as the five teams look to rebuild their squads almost from scratch. With a massive pool of talent up for grabs and significant purses available, today is all about smart buys, surprising strategies, and the inevitable big-money signings.
We are counting down to the start of the live action. Here is all the latest information, breaking news, and key talking points as we prepare for the first name to go under the hammer.
BREAKING NEWS: Jess Jonassen Withdraws from Auction
In a significant development just hours before the auction, Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen has withdrawn from the mega auction due to an injury. The franchises were immediately informed of her removal from the auction list.
Jonassen has been a consistent performer in the WPL, having played 24 games across three seasons for the Delhi Capitals. Her statistics, 295 runs at an impressive strike rate of 138.50 and 33 wickets with a miserly economy rate of 7.74, highlight the value she brought to the table. Her absence will be a blow to teams who were eyeing a proven, experienced all-rounder. Following her withdrawal, the final player pool for the auction now stands at 276 cricketers.
Auction Build-Up: Marquee Sets & The Million-Dollar Question
The tension will be palpable from the very first set of players. The eight-player Marquee Set is packed with superstars and is expected to trigger early and intense bidding wars.
Leading this elite group with the highest base price of INR 50 Lakh are Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma, Australian captain Alyssa Healy, New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, England’s top spinner Sophie Ecclestone, and the legendary Meg Lanning. India’s pace sensation Renuka Singh enters with a base price of INR 40 Lakh, while South African batting star Laura Wolvaardt is listed at INR 30 Lakh.
Beyond this initial marquee group, a total of 19 players have listed themselves at the highest reserve price of INR 50 Lakh. This list includes exciting talents like Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Uma Chetry, Pooja Vastrakar, and Georgia Wareham, indicating the high premium placed on dynamic T20 cricketers in this auction.
The Numbers Game: Slots, Purses, and RTMs
Okay, so the franchises have a big job today. There are 73 spots open for 276 players, and up to 23 of those spots can go to international players. The player pool is pretty varied, including 194 Indian players, 83 from other countries, 155 who haven’t played much, and four from smaller cricket nations. Most players are from India, then Australia (23 players), and then England (22 players).
A key thing to watch today is the Right-to-Match (RTM) cards. Teams have eight of these to use. The UP Warriorz are in a strong position because they have four RTMs. This means they can get back players they let go by matching the highest offer.
How teams kept players has set up an interesting money situation. The UP Warriorz went for a fresh start, keeping only one player, Shweta Sehrawat. Because of this, they have the most money to spend at the auction: INR 14.5 Crore.
On the other hand, the Gujarat Giants didn’t keep any Indian players, but they did keep two international players, leaving them with INR 9.00 Crore. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals played it safer. They each kept three Indian players and some international players, so they have less money to spend, between INR 5.70 Crore and INR 6.15 Crore.
Recap: Shock Releases Set the Stage
Today’s auction stories were written as retention deadlines hit, bringing some big surprises. The biggest? UP Warriorz dumped big names like Deepti Sharma and Alyssa Healy. Everyone will be watching to see what they do with all that cash and those RTMs.
Other interesting moves: Gujarat Giants let go of Laura Wolvaardt, even after her great World Cup, going with Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner instead. Delhi Capitals also made a tough choice, dropping captain Meg Lanning after she took them to three finals. They’re keeping Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Marizanne Kapp.
Mumbai Indians are betting on youth, keeping G Kamalini. They also, interestingly, kept Nat Sciver-Brunt at a higher price than their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur. Indian stars like Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, and Jemimah Rodrigues were all kept by their teams, as expected. They give those teams a solid base.
Get ready! Who’s going to spend big? Which team will nail their plan and build the best team for the next season? Watch the WPL 2026 Mega Auction live!