WPL 2027 auction: UPW sign Sushma Verma, MI snap up Disha Kasat
Synopsis
The WPL 2027 auction's mid-phase in Kochi turned heads for all the wrong reasons — not for record bids, but for a wave of unsold India internationals. Asha Sobhana, who fetched ₹1.1 crore in a bidding war just one year ago, found zero takers at ₹30 lakh. Only two players were bought in the entire round, signalling a sharp recalibration of franchise spending strategies.
Key Takeaways
UP Warriorz signed Sushma Verma for ₹30 lakh at the WPL 2027 auction in Kochi on 28 October 2026 .
Mumbai Indians picked up uncapped batter Disha Kasat for ₹10 lakh — the only uncapped batter bought in the round.
Taniyaa Bhatia , Asha Sobhana , Saika Ishaque , Uma Chetry , and Nuzhat Parween all went unsold.
Asha Sobhana , who was bought for ₹1.1 crore in 2026 , attracted no bids at a base price of ₹30 lakh .
Fast bowlers including Titas Sadhu , Saima Thakor , Tayla Vlaeminck , and Rosemary Mair all went unsold.
Unsold players remain eligible for pickup in the accelerated rounds later in the auction.
The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction in Kochi on Wednesday, 28 October delivered a quiet middle phase, with UP Warriorz (UPW) signing veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma for ₹30 lakh and Mumbai Indians securing uncapped batter Disha Kasat for ₹10 lakh as a notable cluster of India internationals went unsold.
UPW Lead the Charge, MI Find a Bargain
UP Warriorz were the most active franchise at the table, landing Sushma Verma at her base price. The 34-year-old last featured in a T20I for India in December 2016 but had previously appeared in the WPL with Gujarat Giants in 2023. Notably, she attended UPW's pre-auction trials, making her recruitment something of a formality. Disha Kasat, a former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter who was part of their title-winning side in 2024, became the only uncapped batter to be picked up in this round, going to Mumbai Indians at her base price.
Big Names Left Waiting
The round was defined as much by who went unsold as by who was bought. Taniyaa Bhatia, released by Delhi Capitals, found no takers despite her highly rated glovework — franchises reportedly remained cautious about her batting contributions. Nuzhat Parween and Uma Chetry — the latter a member of India's ODI World Cup-winning squad and the first cricketer from Assam to represent India — were also passed over, leaving Sushma as the sole capped wicketkeeper bought in the phase.
Fast Bowlers and Spinners Draw a Blank
India's pace attack did not fare well either. Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu — an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2023 with previous stints at Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants — Australia's Tayla Vlaeminck, Sri Lanka's 19-year-old Mithali Ayodhya, and New Zealand's Rosemary Mair, who was part of New Zealand's T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024, all went unsold at their respective base prices. Titas has been managing injury concerns, which may have dampened franchise appetite.
Capped spinners fared no better. Leg-spinner Priya Mishra, who made her India debut in 2024 and has represented Gujarat Giants, attracted no bids. Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, who made a strong impression in her debut WPL season with Mumbai Indians in 2023 before earning an India call-up, also went without a buyer. South Africa's Nonkululeko Mlaba, the first South African player to go under the hammer on the day, was similarly unsold.
Asha Sobhana's Sharp Fall in Value
The most striking no-bid of the session was that of leg-spinner Asha Sobhana. A member of RCB's title-winning side in 2024, she missed the entire 2025 season through injury before commanding a fierce bidding war that took her to ₹1.1 crore at the 2026 auction with UP Warriorz. This time, at a base price of just ₹30 lakh, she attracted zero interest — a dramatic reversal that underlines how injury history and a recent gap from competitive cricket can reset market value entirely.
Other Notable Unsold Players
Several other players with WPL pedigree also went unsold: former UPW batter Vrinda Dinesh, former RCB player Gautami Naik, former Mumbai Indians batter Humaira Kazi, all-rounder Purvaja Verlekar, and Shweta Sehrawat — who had been UP Warriorz's lone retention heading into the 2026 auction. All unsold players remain eligible for the accelerated rounds later in the auction, leaving the door open for late-stage pickups.
Point of View
Does the WPL's talent pipeline need a structural rethink?
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the players bought at the WPL 2027 auction on 28 October?
Only two players were picked up in this phase of the WPL 2027 auction in Kochi. UP Warriorz signed India wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma for ₹30 lakh, and Mumbai Indians secured uncapped batter Disha Kasat for ₹10 lakh.
Why did Asha Sobhana go unsold at the WPL 2027 auction?
Asha Sobhana went unsold at a base price of ₹30 lakh despite having fetched ₹1.1 crore in a bidding war at the 2026 WPL auction. She missed the entire 2025 season through injury, and franchises appear to have factored in that extended absence when assessing her current value.
Which India internationals went unsold at the WPL 2027 auction?
Several prominent India internationals went unsold, including wicketkeepers Taniyaa Bhatia, Uma Chetry, and Nuzhat Parween, fast bowlers Titas Sadhu and Saima Thakor, and spinners Saika Ishaque and Priya Mishra. Asha Sobhana and Shweta Sehrawat were also among the unsold names.
Can unsold players still be bought at the WPL 2027 auction?
Yes. Players who went unsold in the regular phase remain eligible to be picked up during the accelerated rounds scheduled later in the same auction. Multiple players from this phase could yet find franchise homes.
Who is Sushma Verma and what is her WPL history?
Sushma Verma is a veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter who last played a T20I for India in December 2016. She previously featured in the WPL with Gujarat Giants in 2023 and has now joined UP Warriorz for ₹30 lakh after attending the franchise's pre-auction trials.
