The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 mini auction, set for 28th October in Kochi, is gearing up to feature 146 players vying for 27 slots. At the forefront are England’s Sophia Dunkley and Australia’s captain Sophie Molineux, both opting for the highest base price of INR 50 lakh.
The player pool consists of 119 Indians, of whom 22 are internationally capped, and 97 remain uncapped. For the Indian players, 20 slots are open. Meanwhile, the overseas category includes 27 players, with 14 having international caps and 13 uncapped, among them six from Associate nations, carving out seven slots in this category.
Notably, G Kamalini, formerly with Mumbai Indians, and Kiran Navgire, released by UP Warriorz, along with Australia’s Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen, are amongst players registering at the second-highest base price of INR 40 lakh. Meanwhile, 30 players are listed at INR 30 lakh.
Some prominent players are absent, including West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin and Australia’s legspinner Alana King, both released by respective teams. Lizelle Lee, Delhi Capitals’ top scorer last season, has also opted out after being released.
This year only two English players, Dunkley and Kira Chathli, have entered the auction, the latter at INR 10 lakh. Others, such as Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey, chose not to enrol, possibly due to England’s T20Is in Sri Lanka clashing with the tournament’s final days in early February. The ECB is expected to allow players to extend their stay in India if they choose to participate. However, many have prioritised international duties with the Champions Trophy on the horizon.
Additionally, the financial aspect weighs heavily, with some players finding the WPL’s salary offers less enticing than those of The Hundred in England, where earnings can soar to £190,000, significantly higher than the WPL’s maximum base price of INR 50 lakh (approximately £40,000).
Sophie Molineux, a former champion with RCB in 2024, had 12 wickets in ten games with an economy of 7.31, although a knee injury sidelined her in 2025. Sophia Dunkley previously represented Gujarat Giants in 2023 but didn’t register in 2024 and was unsold in the 2025 auction.
Among those registering at INR 30 lakh are Grace Harris, released by RCB, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, and South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon.
UP Warriorz, having released nine players, holds the largest auction purse at INR 3.65 crore.
