New Delhi, Nov 27 (NationPress) The UP Warriorz made a significant impact during the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction by successfully reacquiring Deepti Sharma, the Indian all-rounder, and Sophie Ecclestone, the English spinner, using their Right to Match card.

In an unexpected turn, they also clinched the services of Meg Lanning, the Australian captain with multiple World Cup victories. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians successfully reacquired New Zealand’s leg-spin all-rounder Amelia Kerr, while the Gujarat Giants spent lavishly to secure the talents of New Zealand’s all-rounder Sophie Devine and Indian pace bowler Renuka Singh Thakur.

Notably, Alyssa Healy, the Australian skipper, surprisingly went unsold, although there is anticipation for her potential return in the accelerated phase of the auction.

The auction opened with Alyssa’s name called at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, but she had no bidders.

For Sophie, who took a break from the previous season due to mental health considerations after New Zealand’s T20 World Cup triumph, bidding started at Rs 50 lakh. This led to a competitive bidding war involving her former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as the price escalated beyond Rs 90 lakh.

Late entry from Delhi Capitals saw the bid soar to Rs 1.1 crore, but Gujarat Giants and RCB continued to up the ante, culminating in GG securing Sophie for Rs 2 crore.

Deepti, the standout player from the recent ODI World Cup, drew immediate interest when Delhi Capitals initiated bidding at Rs 50 lakh and escalated it to Rs 3.2 crore. However, UPW utilized their RTM card to retain the all-rounder.

Deepti now ranks as the second-most expensive player in WPL history, following Smriti Mandhana of RCB, who was acquired for a staggering Rs 3.40 crore during the inaugural auction in 2023.

Amelia, a two-time champion with the Mumbai Indians, witnessed intense bidding between her current franchise and UPW, with her value skyrocketing past Rs 90 lakh and eventually reaching Rs 3 crore before being retained by MI.

Renuka, part of the victorious Indian ODI World Cup team, went to Gujarat Giants for Rs 60 lakh after a brief bidding contest with UPW.

The spotlight remained on Sophie, the exceptional left-arm spinner, as RCB and DC contended fiercely before UPW exercised their RTM at INR 85 lakh to retain her.

DC engaged in a spirited bidding war for their former captain Meg, who had guided them to three finals. Her price soared past Rs 1.9 crore before UPW finalized the acquisition.

The marquee set concluded with Laura, the South African captain who had played for Gujarat Giants in the previous seasons. RCB and DC exchanged offers, elevating her value past Rs 90 lakh, before DC re-entered at Rs 1.1 crore.

This outcome paves the way for a potential Mandhana-Wolvaardt opening combination for RCB, should they maintain their roster, while DC secured Laura at Rs 1.1 crore, allowing her to partner with Shafali Verma in the upcoming season.