The first-ever Women’s Premier League mega auction unfolded in New Delhi on November 27, 2025, with intense bidding wars, record-breaking deals, and shocking snubs that left the cricket world stunned. While the WPL 2026 mega auction witnessed several players securing multi-crore contracts, the event’s most dramatic moments came from high-profile international stars who went unsold, with Australia captain Alyssa Healy becoming the biggest talking point after receiving zero bids.
The auction saw 277 players go under the hammer, with 67 eventually finding buyers to fill the 73 available slots across five franchises. However, the ruthless dynamics of limited purses, overseas slots, and strategic team-building left several decorated cricketers without contracts for the upcoming season.
Table of Contents
The Alyssa Healy Shock: World Champion Goes Unsold
The WPL 2026 mega auction began with a bombshell that reverberated across the cricket world. Alyssa Healy, Australia’s captain and a six-time World Cup winner, became the first player called from the marquee set with a base price of Rs 50 lakh. Shockingly, not a single franchise raised their paddle, leaving one of women’s cricket’s biggest names unsold.
| Player Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Alyssa Jean Healy |
| Base Price | Rs 50 lakh |
| Previous WPL Price | Rs 70 lakh (2023) |
| WPL Record | 428 runs in 17 matches |
| Strike Rate | 130.49 |
| Highest Score | 96* (47 balls) vs RCB (2023) |
| World Cups Won | 6 (T20 and ODI combined) |
The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batter’s snub left fans and analysts in disbelief. Healy had captained UP Warriorz in the inaugural WPL season and was expected to attract competitive bidding despite her base price. Social media erupted with reactions labeling it a “massive oversight,” with many questioning how a player of Healy’s caliber could go unpicked.
Why Did Franchises Skip Alyssa Healy?
After the auction concluded, several franchise coaches explained the strategic reasoning behind passing on Healy, revealing the complex calculations that drive mega auction decisions.
Injury Concerns Dominate Decision-Making
The primary factor deterring franchises was Healy’s recent injury history. She missed the entire WPL 2025 season due to a foot injury that required extensive rehabilitation. During the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, Healy suffered a calf injury that forced her to miss crucial matches against England and South Africa, raising serious fitness concerns.
Abhishek Nayar, UP Warriorz head coach, acknowledged the surprise but highlighted the practical constraints: “Alyssa Healy going unsold was surprising for different reasons. When you’re allowed only four overseas players in the XI, your options are limited, and many teams prefer all-rounders in their set-up.”
Preference for All-Rounders Over Specialists
The Women’s Premier League’s four-overseas-player limit creates intense competition for international slots. Franchises increasingly favor versatile all-rounders who can contribute with both bat and ball, rather than specialist wicketkeeper-batters whose impact is limited to one discipline.
Anya Shrubsole, Royal Challengers Bengaluru assistant coach, explained RCB’s perspective: “We have a very strong top order, and Georgia Voll gives us some off-spin as well. With Richa Ghosh as a wicketkeeper-batter in the top five, going for Healy didn’t make sense for us.”
Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty revealed Healy was on their wishlist, but squad flexibility took priority over adding another specialist keeper when they already had domestic options available.
Recent Form Struggles
Healy’s performances in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League showed a concerning dip in rhythm. Her struggles for consistency in the WBBL raised additional red flags for franchises already wary about committing to a player returning from injury layoffs.
The Accelerated Round No-Show
Many assumed Healy would resurface during the accelerated round when teams get second opportunities to bid on previously unsold players at lower price points. However, when teams submitted their wishlists for the accelerated rounds, no franchise nominated Healy, effectively ending her chances of featuring in WPL 2026.
This marked the first time in WPL history that a sitting national team captain from a major cricket nation went completely unbought in the auction.
Complete List of Unsold Players
The WPL 2026 mega auction produced a lengthy list of unsold players, spanning international stars, domestic performers, and emerging talents. The comprehensive list reveals how franchises prioritized specific skill sets while passing on proven performers.
Notable Overseas Players Unsold
Australian Contingent:
- Alyssa Healy (Wicketkeeper-batter)
- Alana King (Leg-spinner)
- Amanda-Jade Wellington (Leg-spinner)
- Darcie Brown (Fast bowler)
- Laura Harris (All-rounder)
- Heather Graham (All-rounder)
- Lauren Cheatle (Pace bowler)
- Nicole Faltum (Wicketkeeper)
- Georgia Redmayne (Wicketkeeper)
- Courtney Webb (All-rounder)
- Samantha Bates (Bowler)
- Sophie Day (Spinner)
- Charli Knott (All-rounder)
England Players:
- Amy Jones (Wicketkeeper-batter, Rs 50 lakh base)
- Heather Knight (All-rounder)
- Alice Capsey (All-rounder)
New Zealand Players:
- Lea Tahuhu (Fast bowler, Rs 30 lakh base)
- Eden Carson (Off-spinner, Rs 30 lakh base)
- Fran Jonas (Pace bowler)
Other International Players:
- Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka, All-rounder)
- Tazmin Brits (South Africa, Opener)
- Marufa Akter (Bangladesh, Fast bowler, Rs 30 lakh base)
- Rabeya Khan (Bangladesh, All-rounder)
Indian Players Who Went Unsold
The list of unsold Indian players includes World Cup winners, domestic stalwarts, and promising youngsters who couldn’t find takers despite their credentials.
Wicketkeepers:
- Uma Chetry (Rs 50 lakh base, World Cup winner)
- Khushi Bhatia (Rs 10 lakh base)
- Nandini Kashyap (Rs 10 lakh base)
- Nuzhat Parween (Rs 30 lakh base)
- Theertha Satish (UAE, Rs 10 lakh base)
- Shivali Shinde (Rs 10 lakh base)
- Pratika Rawal (initially unsold, later sold to UP Warriorz Rs 50 lakh)
Batters:
- S Meghana (Rs 30 lakh base, RCB 2024 title winner)
- Sayali Satghare (Rs 30 lakh base)
- Pranavi Chandra
- Tejal Hasabnis
Bowlers:
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad (Left-arm spinner, initially unsold, later sold to Gujarat Giants Rs 40 lakh)
- Shuchi Upadhyay (Spinner)
- Sahana Pawar (Spinner)
- Komal Zanzad (Vidarbha pacer)
- Shabnam Shakil (India U-19 seamer)
The unsold list reveals strategic patterns in franchise decision-making. Wicketkeeper-batters faced particular challenges securing contracts, with only South Africa’s Lizelle Lee from the capped wicketkeeper category finding a buyer at Rs 30 lakh.
Most Expensive Purchases: The Auction Winners
While some big names went unsold, the WPL 2026 mega auction also witnessed record-breaking purchases and fierce bidding wars for the tournament’s most coveted players.
Top 5 Highest Paid Players
1. Deepti Sharma – Rs 3.2 Crore (UP Warriorz, RTM)
India’s star all-rounder became the auction’s most expensive player after UP Warriorz used their Right to Match card when Delhi Capitals bid Rs 3.2 crore. The World Cup 2025 Player of the Tournament received a massive 540% salary hike from her previous Rs 50 lakh contract, making her the joint second-highest paid player in WPL history alongside Ashleigh Gardner and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
2. Amelia Kerr – Rs 3 Crore (Mumbai Indians)
The New Zealand all-rounder triggered intense bidding before Mumbai Indians secured her services. Kerr’s match-winning performances in WPL 2025 and her stellar World Cup campaign justified the hefty investment.
3. Shikha Pandey – Rs 2.4 Crore (UP Warriorz)
The experienced Indian pace bowler attracted a massive bid from UP Warriorz, who invested heavily in strengthening their bowling attack for the 2026 season.
4. Sophie Devine – Rs 2 Crore (Gujarat Giants)
Despite announcing her international retirement, the former New Zealand captain’s T20 prowess and leadership experience made her a prized acquisition for Gujarat Giants.
5. Meg Lanning – Rs 1.9 Crore (UP Warriorz)
The legendary Australian captain, released by Delhi Capitals, found a new home with UP Warriorz after an intense bidding war. Lanning’s addition provides UP with world-class leadership and batting firepower at the top of the order.
Strategic Trends That Shaped the Auction
The WPL 2026 mega auction revealed several strategic preferences that influenced team-building decisions and explained why certain high-profile players went unsold.
The All-Rounder Premium
Franchises demonstrated clear preference for versatile players who could contribute in multiple facets of the game. With only four overseas slots available, teams prioritized all-rounders who offer batting depth, bowling options, and fielding excellence over specialist batters or wicketkeepers.
Players like Amelia Kerr (bowling all-rounder), Sophie Devine (batting all-rounder), and Deandra Dottin (power-hitting all-rounder) commanded premium prices, while specialist wicketkeepers like Healy, Amy Jones, and Uma Chetry struggled to find buyers.
Youth vs Experience Calculation
While experience matters, franchises showed willingness to invest in younger players with upside potential rather than aging stars carrying injury concerns. Phoebe Litchfield’s Rs 1.2 crore deal and Laura Wolvaardt’s Rs 1.1 crore contract demonstrated the premium placed on youth combined with proven international credentials.
Domestic Wicketkeeper Depth
The presence of quality Indian wicketkeeper-batters like Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, and Taniya Bhatia reduced the urgency to spend precious overseas slots on foreign keepers. This domestic depth significantly impacted the market for overseas wicketkeepers.
Injury Risk Aversion
The mega auction format, where teams can only retain limited players before a complete squad rebuild, made franchises extremely cautious about injury-prone players. With no guarantee of team continuity, investing in players with recent fitness issues became a calculated risk many teams avoided.
Impact on WPL 2026 Squads
The auction outcomes have reshaped the competitive landscape for the upcoming Women’s Premier League season, scheduled from January 9 to February 5, 2026.
UP Warriorz: The Big Spenders
UP Warriorz entered with the largest purse of Rs 14.50 crore after retaining only Shweta Sehrawat. They emerged as the auction’s biggest spenders, assembling a formidable squad built around Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, and Phoebe Litchfield.
UP Warriorz Final Squad (18 players): Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma (Rs 3.2 crore RTM), Sophie Ecclestone (Rs 85 lakh), Meg Lanning (Rs 1.9 crore), Phoebe Litchfield (Rs 1.2 crore), Kiran Navgire (Rs 60 lakh), Harleen Deol (Rs 50 lakh), Kranti Goud (Rs 50 lakh RTM), Asha Sobhana (Rs 1.1 crore), Deandra Dottin (Rs 80 lakh), Shikha Pandey (Rs 2.4 crore), Simran Shaikh (Rs 10 lakh), Shipra Giri (Rs 10 lakh), Chloe Tryon (Rs 30 lakh), Suman Meena (Rs 10 lakh), G. Trisha (Rs 10 lakh), Pratika Rawal (Rs 50 lakh), Tara Norris (Rs 10 lakh)
Purse Remaining: Rs 15 lakh
Gujarat Giants: Balanced Rebuild
Gujarat Giants secured Sophie Devine’s leadership and Georgia Wareham’s spin prowess while retaining their core of Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney.
Gujarat Giants Final Squad (18 players): Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine (Rs 2 crore), Renuka Singh (Rs 60 lakh), Bharti Fulmali (Rs 70 lakh), Titas Sadhu (Rs 30 lakh), Kashvee Gautam (Rs 65 lakh RTM), Kanika Ahuja (Rs 30 lakh), Tanuja Kanwar (Rs 45 lakh), Georgia Wareham (Rs 1 crore), Anushka Sharma (Rs 45 lakh), Happy Kumari (Rs 10 lakh), Kim Garth (Rs 50 lakh), Yastika Bhatia (Rs 50 lakh), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Rs 50 lakh), Ayushi Soni (Rs 30 lakh), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (Rs 40 lakh), Shivani Singh
Purse Remaining: Rs 15 lakh
Mumbai Indians: Retaining Champions
Defending champions Mumbai Indians focused on continuity, securing Amelia Kerr while retaining Nat Sciver-Brunt and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Mumbai Indians Final Squad (16 players): Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr (Rs 3 crore), Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, Sajana Sajeevan (Rs 75 lakh), Shabnim Ismail, Sanika Gupta, Nicola Carey (Rs 30 lakh), Sanskriti Gupta, Rahila Firdous (Rs 10 lakh), Triveni Vasistha (Rs 20 lakh), Nalla Reddy (Rs 10 lakh), Saika Ishaque (Rs 30 lakh), Milly Illingworth (Rs 10 lakh), Prathyoosha Kumar (Rs 10 lakh)
Purse Remaining: Rs 0
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Core Stability
RCB retained their championship-winning core of Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, and Shreyanka Patil while adding strategic reinforcements.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Final Squad (16 players): Smriti Mandhana (Rs 3.5 crore retention), Richa Ghosh (Rs 2.75 crore retention), Ellyse Perry (Rs 2 crore retention), Shreyanka Patil (Rs 60 lakh retention), Sophie Molineux, Dani Wyatt-Hodge (Rs 50 lakh), Georgia Voll (Rs 60 lakh), Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, Kanika Ahuja, Nadine de Klerk (Rs 65 lakh), Radha Yadav (Rs 65 lakh), Grace Harris (Rs 75 lakh), Arundhati Reddy (Rs 75 lakh), Pooja Vastrakar (Rs 85 lakh), D Hemalatha (Rs 30 lakh)
Purse Remaining: Rs 0
Delhi Capitals: Aggressive Rebuild
Delhi Capitals, who released Meg Lanning, rebuilt aggressively around Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, adding Laura Wolvaardt for Rs 1.1 crore.
Delhi Capitals Final Squad (16 players): Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Marzianne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt (Rs 1.1 crore), Chinelle Henry (Rs 1.3 crore), Shree Charani (Rs 1.3 crore), Sneh Rana, Lizelle Lee (Rs 30 lakh), Deeya Yadav, Taniya Bhatia (Rs 30 lakh), Mamatha Madiwala, Nandini Sharma, Lucy Hamilton (Rs 10 lakh), Minnu Mani (Rs 40 lakh)
Purse Remaining: Rs 0
Tournament Schedule and Venues
The WPL 2026 season will run from January 9 to February 5, 2026, featuring matches across two venues in a caravan format.
Tournament Venues:
- Opening Matches: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
- Final: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara (February 5, 2026)
The BCCI confirmed the two-city format to maximize accessibility and maintain competitive balance throughout the tournament. This represents a shift from previous editions that featured matches across multiple cities.
Historical Context and Future Implications
The WPL 2026 mega auction’s dramatic outcomes carry significant implications for the tournament’s evolution and women’s cricket’s commercial landscape.
First True Mega Auction
Unlike the previous retention-heavy auctions, WPL 2026 marked the first genuine mega auction where teams could retain only a limited number of players, forcing complete squad rebuilds. This format created unprecedented player movement and market dynamics never before seen in women’s T20 franchise cricket.
Rising Salary Standards
The auction shattered previous records, with Deepti Sharma’s Rs 3.2 crore deal demonstrating the escalating commercial value of elite women cricketers. The total spending of Rs 69.85 crore across 67 players represented a significant increase from previous seasons, validating the WPL’s growing financial muscle.
Injury Concerns as Market Barrier
Alyssa Healy’s unsold status establishes a concerning precedent where injury history significantly impacts even the most decorated players’ market value. This trend may pressure international boards to manage player workload more carefully to protect their athletes’ franchise opportunities.
All-Rounder Evolution
The premium placed on all-rounders signals an evolution in T20 strategy, where squad depth and versatility trump specialist excellence. This may influence player development pathways, encouraging young cricketers to develop secondary skills to maximize their franchise appeal.
Read More: Records That Broke After India vs South Africa 2nd Test ft. India’s Biggest Loss Ever
FAQs
Why did Alyssa Healy go unsold in the WPL 2026 mega auction?
Alyssa Healy went unsold primarily due to injury concerns, including a foot injury that caused her to miss WPL 2025 and a calf injury during the 2025 World Cup. Franchises also preferred all-rounders over specialist wicketkeepers given the four-overseas-player limit.
How many players went unsold in the WPL 2026 mega auction?
Out of 277 players who entered the auction pool, 210 players went unsold. Only 67 players found buyers across the five franchises, leaving 6 slots unfilled from the total 73 available positions.
Who was the most expensive player in the WPL 2026 mega auction?
Deepti Sharma became the most expensive player at Rs 3.2 crore after UP Warriorz used their RTM card. This made her the joint second-highest paid player in WPL history alongside Ashleigh Gardner and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
When will the WPL 2026 season take place?
The WPL 2026 season is scheduled to run from January 9 to February 5, 2026. Matches will be played at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
Which other international stars went unsold besides Alyssa Healy?
Other notable unsold international players included Amy Jones (England), Heather Knight (England), Alana King (Australia), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), and Tazmin Brits (South Africa), along with several other capped internationals.
