The WPL 2026 Auction is now in full swing, with the early sessions already delivering big surprises, intense bidding battles, and unexpected unsold names. The day began with Australia’s Alyssa Healy—one of the most experienced wicketkeepers in the world—going unsold at her base price of Rs 50 lakh. Soon after, the auction witnessed its first major bidding war when Sophie Devine triggered a three-way contest between Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals. The New Zealand all-rounder was finally sold to Gujarat Giants for Rs 2 crore.
Shortly after Devine’s high-profile move, the focus shifted to India all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who entered the pool with a base price of Rs 50 lakh. Delhi Capitals made the opening bid and secured her initially, but the moment her name was announced as SOLD, auctioneer Mallika Sagar opened the door for a Right-to-Match.
UP Warriorz wasted no time and immediately exercised their RTM option to reclaim their star all-rounder.
Mallika Sagar then asked Delhi Capitals whether they wanted to increase their offer, leading to a brief suspenseful pause. However, DC chose not to escalate the bid.
With that, Deepti Sharma officially returned to UP Warriorz for Rs 50 lakh, continuing her long-term association with the franchise.
The early pattern of the WPL 2026 Auction suggests that teams are prioritising stability and all-round talent, with marquee Indian players drawing strong interest and international names facing mixed outcomes.
More updates from the auction table will follow as the bidding war continues.
