Australia’s captain, Sophie Molineux, will be joining UP Warriorz for INR 1.10 crore, marking a significant acquisition at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction held in Kochi. Meanwhile, Kiran Navgire, an Indian middle-order batter, has been signed by Delhi Capitals for INR 75 lakh.
India’s wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, who previously played for Mumbai Indians in 2025 and 2026 after a purchase price of INR 1.60 crore, was bought by Gujarat Giants for her base price of INR 40 lakh. Joining her is Orla Prendergast from Ireland, poised for her debut in the WPL, purchased for INR 30 lakh. Gujarat Giants now have only one slot left, with INR 55 lakh remaining in their budget.
In other moves, UP Warriorz further bolstered their team with allrounder Sneh Rana, along with Australia’s Grace Harris and wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma, all acquired at their base prices of INR 30 lakh. This marks Sneh Rana’s fourth team in the WPL, having previously played for RCB, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals in the early seasons. Reflecting on the team’s composition, Rana shared, “The UP Warriorz spin attack is very strong. I’ve played alongside Deepti Sharma for a long time, so we’re familiar with each other’s strengths. I’m thrilled to be playing under Meg Lanning.”
UP Warriorz, beginning the auction with a substantial INR 3.75 crore, managed to fend off Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s bid for Molineux, the latter bowing out at INR 1.05 crore. Known for leading Australia to their seventh T20 World Cup triumph this year and being a top wicket-taker, Molineux’s addition to UP Warriorz was strongly anticipated. They had eight slots to fill, having released nine players, thereby leading the purchase tally.
Several notable names, including England’s Sophia Dunkley and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, did not find buyers, listed at INR 50 lakh and INR 30 lakh respectively. UPW’s retained player from last year, Shweta Sehrawat, also remained unsold.
Mumbai Indians, operating with the smallest auction purse of INR 90 lakh, purchased the only three uncapped players on offer: Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, and Bharti Rawal, each for INR 10 lakh. Notably, capped fast bowlers and spinners did not attract any bids during the initial rounds.
After six sets of players, defending champions RCB surprisingly refrained from making any purchases. Below is a list of players secured so far:
– Delhi Capitals: Kiran Navgire (INR 75 lakh)
– Gujarat Giants: G Kamalini (INR 40 lakh), Orla Prendergast (INR 30 lakh)
– Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat (INR 10 lakh), Latika Inamdar (INR 10 lakh), Bharti Rawal (INR 10 lakh)
– UP Warriorz: Sophie Molineux (INR 1.10 crore), Sneh Rana (INR 30 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 30 lakh), Sushma Verma (INR 30 lakh)
The auction progresses, with teams strategising their next bids in anticipation of securing optimal squads for the upcoming season.
