WPL 2026 Auction: Deepti Sharma Second-Costliest, 11 Players Cross ₹1 Crore

The WPL 2026 mega auction in Delhi witnessed high bidding for all-rounders, with Deepti Sharma emerging as the second most expensive Indian player in tournament history at ₹3.20 crore. A total of 11 players crossed the ₹1 crore mark, while big names like Alyssa Healy went unsold.

WPL Auction 2026

Before the WPL 2026 auction, UP Warriorz had released Deepti Sharma, signaling that the star all-rounder could attract massive bids. That prediction proved true during the Delhi auction on Friday, where UP Warriorz bought Deepti Sharma for ₹3.20 crore, making her the second most expensive Indian player in WPL history.

The record for most expensive Indian still belongs to Smriti Mandhana, who was signed by RCB in 2023 for ₹3.40 crore. Five franchises bid for a total of 67 players. Deepti’s base price was ₹50 lakh and Delhi Capitals placed the first bid. Although Delhi secured her initially at base price, UP used the Right to Match (RTM) card to bring her back.

Shikha Pandey sold for ₹2.40 crore

When the auctioneer asked Delhi Capitals for their final bid, they raised it to ₹3.20 crore. However, UP again used RTM and retained Deepti. In the previous auction, UP bought her for ₹2.60 crore. This year, the franchise also spent ₹2.40 crore on Shikha Pandey, making her the third most expensive player of the auction.

Amelia Kerr becomes most expensive overseas player

Mumbai Indians picked New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for ₹3 crore, making her the costliest overseas buy in the 2026 auction. A long bidding battle was seen between Mumbai and UP. Starting from a base price of ₹50 lakh, she received 26 bids before MI finally secured her.

Alyssa Healy goes unsold

One of the biggest surprises was Australian captain and former UP Warriorz leader Alyssa Healy going unsold. No franchise placed a bid for her. Along with Healy, players like Alana King, Uma Chetry, Tazmin Brits and Amandeep Kaur also failed to find buyers.

Number Game (Auction Summary)

• 67 players sold in the auction

• 277 players received bids

• 11 players crossed ₹1 crore

• ₹40.80 crore spent by five franchises

Most Expensive Players – WPL Auction 2026

Most Expensive Indians

Most Expensive Overseas Players

Costliest Players in WPL History

Conclusion

The WPL 2026 mega auction highlighted the growing value of all-rounders, with Deepti Sharma emerging as the second-costliest Indian player in history. A total of 11 players crossed the ₹1 crore mark, while franchises invested strategically to strengthen their squads. The auction also underscored the competitive nature of the league, with overseas stars like Amelia Kerr attracting high bids, and some big names going unsold, showing that team strategy plays a crucial role in shaping the upcoming season.