Deepti Sharma’s Record Bid to Alyssa Healy Unsold: 5 Key Takeaways from Mega WPL 2026 Auction

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) had a successful first-ever Mega Auction, where all five franchises – Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals, and UP Warriorz – went all out to rebuild their squads, bidding aggressively for top Indian and international stars ahead of the WPL 2026. The auction took place in New Delhi on Thursday, November 27.

A total of 277 players went under the hammer, out of which 67 players were sold for a combined ₹40.8 crore, making it one of the biggest sign‑on splashes ever in the WPL and setting a new benchmark in league spending.

On that note, let’s take a look at five key takeaways from the first Mega WPL Auction that grabbed the headlines and reshaped team line-ups ahead of the upcoming season.

Deepti Sharma was one of the most in-demand players in the first WPL Auction. It was expected that the Indian all-rounder would attract the interest of the franchises, given her vital contribution in the Women in Blue’s success at the World Cup this year. Entering the auction at a base price of INR 50 lakh, Deepti Sharma triggered the bidding war between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals.

After the bid reached INR 3.2 crore, UP Warriorz used Right to Match (RTM) to retain Deepti Sharma, securing her services for the upcoming WPL season. With this, Deepti Sharma became the second expensive player after Smriti Mandhana (RCB), Jemimah Rodrigues (DC), Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI), and Ashleigh Gardner (GG), who were retained by respective franchises for 3.5 crore each, in the history of the Women’s Premier League.

One of the key takeaways from the recently concluded Mega WPL Auction is that Shikha Pandey bagged a lucrative deal of INR 2.4 crore from UP Warriorz. Having last played for India in 2023, the veteran pacer attracted interest from the UP-based franchise and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Delhi Capitals, who released Shikha Pandey ahead of the auction, did not bid for her.

Shikha Pandey entered the auction with a base price of INR 40 lakh, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the first to raise the paddle before the UP Warriorz entered the bidding war. Eventually, UP managed to secure the services of Shikha after a fierce battle with Bengaluru, making her the third expensive buy in the Mega WPL 2026 Auction.

One of the big takeaways, or rather would say surprise, was Australia captain Alyssa Healy going unsold at the WPL 2026 Auction. Healy served as UP Warriorz’s captain before she was surprisingly released from the squad ahead of the recently concluded auction in Delhi. Many expected UP to buy her back or for other franchises to bid aggressively for the star wicketkeeper-batter.

Surprisingly, Alyssa Healy did not find any interest from either of the five franchises at the auction table. Entering the auction as a marquee player at a base price of INR 50 lakh, none of the franchises, including UP Warrioz, raised their paddle for Healy, leaving the Australia captain unsold in one of the biggest shocks of the WPL 2026 mega auction.

The recently concluded WPL 2026 Auction witnessed the franchises bidding heavily for the overseas players, with international stars attracting high bids, highlighting the teams’ strategy to strengthen the squad with experienced global talent and balance the teams with batting, bowling, and all-round capabilities in the upcoming WPL season.

The likes of Sophie Devine (2 crore), Amelia Kerr (3 crore), Meg Lanning (1.9 crore), Chinelle Henry (1.3 crore), and Laura Wolvaardt (1.10 crore) were among the top overseas buys, showing that franchises priortized proven international performers alongside Indian talents to bolster their squads and gain a competitive edge in the 2026 WPL season.

The recently concluded WPL Auction witnessed all five franchises rebuilding their squads after three seasons of the tournament. After retaining their core players and releasing several big names, the franchises used the mega auction as a ‘reset button’, reshuffling the team combinations, adding fresh faces to their squads, and strategically strengthening their weak areas ahead of the fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League.

With a record WPL Auction, where the franchises splurged significant amounts on top Indian talents and international stars, the 2026 auction has set the stage for a highly competitive and thrilling upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League. Moreover, players moving from one franchise to another in the Mega Auction have added an element of unpredictability, promising exciting teams’ new dynamics, fresh rivalries, and even more balanced contests across all franchises in the WPL 2026.