WPL 2027 auction: Full player list, team purse, rules, squads and schedule

WPL 2027 auction: Full player list, team purse, rules, squads and schedule

WPL 2027 Auction: Date, Venue, Player Pool and Team-by-Team Preview

The road to the 2027 Women’s Premier League season will take a major turn on October 28, when the five franchises gather in Kochi for the WPL 2027 player auction. A total of 146 players will compete for 27 remaining squad places, setting up a high-stakes evening as teams weigh their budgets, overseas-player limits and gaps in their line-ups.

The auction is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM IST at the Grand Hyatt Kochi. With the tournament set to run from January 14 to February 7, 2027, franchises will have a limited window after the event to finalise their combinations and prepare for the fifth edition of the league.

WPL 2027 auction at a glance

The player pool includes 119 Indian players and 27 overseas players. Among the Indian contingent are 22 capped and 97 uncapped cricketers, while the overseas group features 14 capped players and 13 uncapped players. Six overseas entrants represent Associate Nations, adding another dimension to the range of talent available.

The five teams—Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and UP Warriorz—retained 63 players before the auction, including 23 overseas cricketers. The remaining 27 places comprise 20 slots for Indian players and seven for overseas players. That split means teams must consider not only individual talent but also how each signing fits within their squad limits.

Top base prices and players to watch

England’s Sophia Dunkley and Australia’s Sophie Molineux have entered the auction at the highest base price of ₹50 lakh. Both bring international experience and the potential to influence a team’s balance, although a player’s base price is only a starting point: the final bid depends on franchise demand, purse availability and competition from other teams.

The ₹40 lakh category includes Indian players G Kamalini and Kiran Navgire, alongside overseas all-rounder Heather Graham and Australia’s Jess Jonassen. Their varied skill sets could appeal to teams looking for batting depth, bowling options or greater flexibility in the playing XI.

Thirty players have set their base price at ₹30 lakh, four are listed at ₹20 lakh, and the remaining 106 players have a base price of ₹10 lakh. The large number of lower-base-price entrants could give franchises opportunities to strengthen their benches and invest in emerging domestic talent without committing a major share of their budgets.

What each franchise retained

Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals retained 13 players, including Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland. The franchise released six players, among them overseas cricketers Alana King and Lizelle Lee. Delhi’s auction task is comparatively focused: it has five places to fill and, according to the original purse and slot figures, ₹1.10 crore remaining. With one overseas slot available, the team may need to prioritise Indian options while using that international place strategically.

Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants kept 15 players, the largest retention group among the five teams. Their retained list includes Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Renuka Singh and Yastika Bhatia. After releasing four players, Gujarat have three vacancies and ₹1.25 crore remaining in the published figures. With fewer slots to fill, their auction strategy may centre on targeted additions rather than a broad squad rebuild.

Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians retained 11 players, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr. The team also acquired Tara Norris from UP Warriorz in a trade on October 12 at her existing fee of ₹10 lakh. Mumbai released six players, including G Kamalini, who is now part of the auction pool. The original table lists six vacancies and ₹90 lakh remaining; the later trade should be considered when assessing Mumbai’s final squad position.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB retained 13 players, with Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Voll and Lauren Bell among the key names. The franchise released four players, including overseas cricketers Grace Harris and Linsey Smith. RCB have five places to fill and ₹1.15 crore remaining in the official figures, with two overseas positions available. That gives the team room to consider international reinforcements while also addressing its domestic requirements.

UP Warriorz

UP Warriorz retained 11 players, including Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield and Harleen Deol. The team released nine players—the most of any franchise—and traded Tara Norris to Mumbai Indians. UP Warriorz have the largest remaining purse in the original figures, at ₹3.65 crore, alongside seven listed vacancies. This gives them considerable scope to reshape the squad, though their final position must account for the Norris trade.

Why purse management could shape the auction

The WPL 2027 auction is not simply a contest to secure the biggest names. Each franchise must build a balanced squad while staying within its budget and meeting the required Indian and overseas-player composition. A team with fewer vacancies may be able to pursue a small number of premium targets, while a franchise with more open places could spread its spending across several roles.

Uncapped Indian players may also attract close attention. With 97 uncapped domestic entrants in the pool, franchises can look for emerging batters, bowlers and all-rounders who could provide depth over a long season. These signings can be especially valuable when teams need to preserve funds for specialist overseas players or cover for injuries and changes in form.

Prediction: what to expect from the WPL 2027 auction

A reasonable prediction is that the auction will feature a mix of selective bidding for experienced internationals and careful investment in Indian depth. The limited number of overseas slots is likely to make teams particularly deliberate: even a high-profile signing must fit the squad’s needs and leave room for the rest of the playing group.

UP Warriorz appear to have the greatest financial flexibility based on the published purse figures, while Gujarat Giants have the fewest vacancies. However, a larger purse does not automatically guarantee a stronger auction outcome. The most effective teams will be those that identify specific role gaps, avoid bidding beyond their plans and secure players who complement the retained core.

With the auction taking place less than three months before the season begins, every signing will carry immediate significance. Fans can expect the October 28 event to offer an early indication of each franchise’s ambitions—and of the combinations likely to define the WPL 2027 campaign.

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