New Delhi, Nov 26 (NationPress) As the excitement surrounding India’s remarkable Women’s ODI World Cup victory in Navi Mumbai continues to invigorate supporters, a lucrative opportunity is on the horizon.

The championship-winning Indian squad members are now engaged in prestigious endorsements for various brands, invited to multiple universities for insightful lectures, appearing as distinguished guests on talk shows, and showcasing their bright smiles on promotional posters.

Thus, it’s no surprise that the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on Thursday, is expected to see several World Cup-winning players secure significant financial rewards. With many World Cup champions re-entering the player pool, all five franchises are strategizing to acquire these marquee players, setting the stage for them to command impressive salaries.

Among the ten World Cup-winning players in the auction pool, Deepti Sharma (base price of Rs. 50 lakh) and Renuka Singh Thakur (base price of Rs. 40 lakh) are included in the marquee category. Deepti, who was named the Player of the Tournament in both the ODI World Cup and WPL 2025, will undoubtedly attract attention from all teams.

Although her former franchise, UP Warriorz (with the highest budget of Rs. 14.5 crore), retains four Right-To-Match (RTM) options, Deepti’s consistent match-winning performances will ensure she commands a high price at the auction.

Kranti Gaud, Deepti’s teammate at UPW in WPL 2025 and a World Cup champion, will also draw interest from multiple teams due to her unique skills as a capped Indian fast bowler.

Left-arm spinner N Sree Charani, who was the second-highest wicket-taker for India during the World Cup victory, is expected to attract substantial bids after being a bargain buy for Delhi Capitals, who enter the auction with the smallest purse (Rs. 5.7 crore).

Other World Cup victors likely to pique teams' interest include Renuka Singh Thakur, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy, and Pratika Rawal (assuming she has recovered adequately from the ankle injury that kept her out of the World Cup knockouts).

The auction will feature a total of 277 players available for selection to fill 73 slots – including 23 reserved for overseas players. It is also anticipated that the five franchises will focus on bolstering their batting and bowling options by investing more in batters, pacers, or overseas all-rounders.

“The accelerated phase in the auction will commence after player number 68. Teams will be requested to indicate their player preferences, and names will be called out accordingly. Many of the released players are expected to be picked,” shared a WPL insider with IANS.

In addition to Deepti and Renuka, the marquee set includes several well-known names, such as Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Wolvaardt, Sophie Devine, and Amelia Kerr, ensuring fierce bidding wars among teams for these established match-winners.

Notable players outside the marquee set include Nadine de Klerk, Pheobe Litchfield, Kiran Navgire, Alana King, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Voll, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, and Kashvee Gautam, who has recently returned to competition through the ongoing U23 T20 championship after a six-month hiatus.

Interest in players like Prathyusha Challuru and Anuja Patil, who have previously played for India and excelled in the domestic circuit, will also be significant in franchise discussions.

Regarding team strategies for the auction, two-time champions Mumbai Indians boast a well-rounded batting lineup led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, complemented by established all-rounders such as Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Amanjot Kaur, along with uncapped wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini. They may seek an experienced keeper-batter to enhance depth. Although Yastika Bhatia has signed up for the auction, it will be intriguing to see if MI reacquires her, given her recent ACL surgery. MI's priority will be fortifying their bowling attack with specialized options and acquiring key Indian spin bowlers.

The 2024 champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, are expected to aim for a powerful opener to partner with captain Smriti Mandhana at the top, while also focusing on securing an experienced seamer, including the possibility of bringing back Renuka to strengthen their bowling unit.

Among international candidates, Laura and Georgia are considered strong options to support Smriti at the top. The franchise holds a Right-To-Match card for an uncapped player, which could be employed to reacquire leg-spin all-rounder Prema Rawat, who made her debut in the India A setup this year.

Three-time runners-up Delhi Capitals are clearly targeting a solid opener to pair with Shafali Verma, while their retained players, Jemimah Rodrigues and Niki Prasad, along with pace-bowling all-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, provide balance in the middle order.

DC is likely to concentrate on strengthening its spin department and adding an experienced wicketkeeper. If DC does not reacquire Meg, they might select either Alyssa or Laura, both of whom can fill the opening slot and serve as strong captaincy candidates.

Gujarat Giants, who made it to the WPL playoffs for the first time this year, have three RTM cards at their disposal, which they can utilize to buy back three Indian players after retaining the Australian duo of Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney.

In that case, Harleen, Kashvee, Priya Mishra, and Tanuja Kanwer emerge as potential candidates for RTM buybacks. During the mega auction, GG will also prioritize strengthening its lower order by acquiring experienced Indian batters and enhancing a bowling attack that faced challenges last season.

Meanwhile, UP Warriorz enter with a nearly blank slate and the largest budget, providing them ample flexibility to rebuild after finishing at the bottom of the table last season. With batting inconsistencies and a struggling bowling unit still fresh in memory, UPW may focus on acquiring seasoned Indian players and securing international match-winners, while also seeking a new captain.

The significant budget will allow UPW to aggressively pursue marquee overseas players like Phoebe, Amelia, Deandra, and Meg Lanning. They can also allocate four RTM cards to Sophie, Deepti, Kranti, and Kiran, although they face the real possibility of losing at least one to other franchises.

As the spotlight sharpens on the mega auction floor and franchises prepare their strategies to secure marquee names, the stage is set for newly crowned World Cup champions and other elite players to attract record bids. This underscores the league’s escalating prominence and the rising value of World Cup-winning players in the cricketing landscape.