As per WPL retention rules, franchises can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, a maximum of two overseas players, and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players. If a franchise wanted to retain five players, the rules state that at least one should be an uncapped Indian player. The WPL has for the first time given teams right-to-match (RTM) options at the auction to buy back a player who was part of their 2025 squad.
Each franchise has been allotted INR 15 crore to build their squad for WPL 2026. It is understood that the mega player auction will take place in Delhi on November 27.
Here’s the full list of players retained by all five franchises:
Mumbai Indians
Players retained: Nat Sciver-Brunt – INR 3.5 crore, Harmanpreet Kaur – INR 2.5 crore, Hayley Matthews – INR 1.75 crore, Amanjot Kaur – INR 1 crore, G Kamalini – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.25 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.75 crore; No RTM option available
Notable players released: Amelia Kerr, Nadine de Klerk, Yastika Bhatia, Chloe Tryon, Shabnim Ismail
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Players retained: Smriti Mandhana – INR 3.5 crore, Richa Ghosh – INR 2.75 crore, Ellyse Perry – INR 2 crore, Shreyanka Patil – INR 60 lakh
Money spent: INR 8.85 crore; Purse remaining: INR 6.15 crore; One RTM option available
Notable players released: Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Delhi Capitals
Players retained: Jemimah Rodrigues – INR 2.2 crore, Shafali Verma – INR 2.2 crore. Annabel Sutherland – INR 2.2 crore, Marizanne Kapp – INR 2.2 crore, Niki Prasad – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.3 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.7; No RTM available
Notable players released: Meg Lanning, N Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy
What they said: “It’s been really tough,” DC head coach Gareth Batty told JioStar about not retaining Lanning. “So there’s been some really deep discussions, lots of planning, lots of challenging conversations around our retentions and releases. And yeah, there were some tough calls that had to be made. But I think we’re delighted with the five that we have got over the line in the end.”
About who could now lead DC in WPL 2026, Batty said: “Jemimah’s got a great captaincy record (in domestic cricket). Obviously, Annabelle Sutherland captains in WBBL as well. So there’s lots of candidates out there. We also got the mega option to come, so there’s some candidates out there as well, I think in the wider field as well. So we’re leaving our options open.”
Gujarat Giants
Players retained: Ash Gardner – INR 3.5 crore, Beth Mooney – INR 2.5 crore
Money spent: INR 6 crore; Purse remaining: INR 9 crore available; Three RTM options available
Notable players released: Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Laura Wolvaardt, Phoebe Litchfield
UP Warriorz
Player retained: Shweta Sehrawat – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 50 lakh; Purse remaining: INR 14.50 crore; Four RTM options available
Notable players released: Deepti Sharma, Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Kranti Gaud
What they said: “I feel the thought process from the think tank, from the support group, was more so to go in with a clean slate, try and have as much money in the purse, to make sure we can not only get the team that we feel we need to win that championship, but also get a lot of these players back in the auction, given the opportunity,” Abhishek Nayar, newly appointed head coach, said. “The way the auction is designed, the RTMs obviously give you that leverage and power to do so. But the thought process also behind having someone like a Shweta Sehrawat in the ranks and retaining her, was the faith this franchise has put into as a youngster playing three years, being someone who’s played almost every game for us and being able to perform, and now going up the ranks in domestic cricket. We just felt we would love to have someone like that back in our set-up.”