WPL Auction: Deepti Sharma to UPW, Healy Unsold – Updates

by Archynetys Sports Desk
All-rounder Deepti Sharma became the joint second-most expensive player ever sold at the WPL auction when her previous franchise UP Warriorz bid INR 3.2 crore (USD 360,000) and used a right-to-match (RTM) option to buy her back at the mega auction in Delhi on Thursday.

Deepti, the player of the tournament at the recent Women’s ODI World Cup, was the third player on sale from the marquee set and initially attracted no bids at her base price of INR 50 lakh until Delhi Capitals (DC) raised the paddle late. There were no other bids and so UPW were given the option to use their RTM option, which they did. Thereafter, DC had the one-time option to raise their bid, which they did to INR 3.2 crore, a price that was matched by UPW to buy back Deepti. Had Deepti been retained by UPW ahead of the auction, they would have lost INR 3.5 crore from their purse.

The mega auction had opened with a surprise – Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy going unsold, though she could come back during the accelerated round later in the auction. The first player sold was New Zealand’s Sophie Devinewho was bought by Gujarat Giants (GG) for INR 2 crore (USD 220,000).
Mumbai Indians’ (MI) first purchase at the mega auction was New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerrwho had played for them previously in the WPL. They spent INR 3 crore (USD 340,000) out of their auction purse of INR 5.75 crore on Kerr because they had no RTM options available at the auction due to them retaining five players.
Of the other players in the marquee set, Renuka Singh went to GG for INR 60 lakh (USD 70,000), Sophie Ecclestone to UPW for INR 85 lakh (USD 100,000) (via RTM), Meg Lanning (USD 210,000) to UPW for INR 1.9 crore, and Laura Wolvaardt to DC for INR 1.1 crore (USD 120,000). Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the only team to not buy a player in the marquee set, having bid for Devine, Ecclestone and Wolvaardt.

The most expensive player ever sold at the WPL auction is Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.4 crore), followed by Ashleigh Gardner and Nat-Sciver Brunt (INR 3.2 crore), whose bids in 2023 Deepti matched in 2025.

The 2026 WPL season will begin on January 9 and end on February 5, with the tournament played in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.

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