Top 5 most expensive buys at WPL 2026 mega auction

The WPL 2026 mega auction was held in New Delhi on Thursday, November 27.

On Thursday, the Women Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction was held in Delhi. All the eyes were on the five franchises. The event had some amazing moments, high drama, and a few record-breaking deals. It certainly lived up to the expectations.

There were some surprise decisions made, and some players who were expected to go big, didn’t find a single buyer. However, a few players went on to break previous records and bag lucrative deals.

Once again, the all-rounders became the centre of attraction. There were a few signings which broke the previous auction records. Below, we will talk about the top five signings made at the WPL 2026 mega auction.

List of Top 5 most expensive buys at WPL 2026 mega auction

5. Meg Lanning – INR 1.96 crore to UP Warriorz

Australian legend Meg Lanning needs no introduction to this game. With a legendary career behind her, she took Delhi Capitals (DC) to three consecutive WPL finals. She comes with loads of experience as a captain, understanding of the game, and match-winning ability with the bat.

He forced the bidding war between UP Warriorz, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Eventually, the Warriroz won the bid and signed Lanning for a price of INR 1.90 crore, making her the fifth-most expensive player at the WPL 2026 mega auction.

4. Sophie Devine – INR 2 crore to Gujarat Giants

New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine bagged a deal of INR 2 crore. The experienced all-rounder spent her first three WPL seasons with Royal Challenger Bengaluru. She scored 402 runs at a strike rate of 153.43 and is a handy bowler.

She has the experience of over 300 international matches, and three franchises raised their paddle 21 times to have her. Eventually, Gujarat Giants topped the bid and acquired the 36-year-old superstar.

3. Shikha Pandey – INR 2.4 crore to UP Warriorz

The biggest surprise of the WPL 2026 mega auction was Shikha Pandey, who became only the sixth Indian player to break the barrier of 2 crore or more at the WPL auction. The veteran all-rounder had three great seasons with Delhi Capitals. She took 30 wickets at an economy rate of 6.96.

Her ability to take wickets with the new ball and contain the batter in death overs makes her a great asset for any team. Both UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru were keen to sign her, but UP-W had the maximum bid for a price of INR 2.4 crore.

2. Amelia Kerr – INR 3 crore to Mumbai Indians

The Purple Cap winner of the WPL 2025, Amelia Kerr, played crucial roles in two title wins for Mumbai Indians. But the two-time champion released her ahead of the WPL 2025 mega auction, which was a surprise for many.

But the franchise were keen to get her back. Hence, MI didn’t think much of their remaining purse and went after her. There were 26 bids between MI-W and UP-W for her. At the end, Mumbai Indians signed their champion star back at a price of INR 3 crore.

1. Deepti Sharma – INR 3.2 crore to UP Warriorz

Deepti Sharma, the former captain of the UP Warriorz, was released ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction. When her name came up, Delhi Capitals were the first team to bid for her INR 50 lakh. But UP Warriorz used their Right To Match (RTM) card on her.

Hence, the franchise bid the amount of INR 3.2 crore and got their star all-rounder back. Deepti is the no. 3 ranked T20I all-rounder in the world and won the Player of the Tournament award in India’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 winning campaign.

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