The Women's Premier League mini-auction for the 2027 season wrapped up in Kochi on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, with UP Warriorz breaking the bank for Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux. Molineux went for Rs 1.10 crore, the highest price of the day, while India's big-hitting batter Kiran Navgire was the costliest Indian at Rs 75 lakh to Delhi Capitals.
In all, 25 players were sold for roughly Rs 6.25 crore across the five franchises, with 12 of them uncapped Indians.
Top buys of the WPL 2027 auction
| Player | Team and price |
|---|---|
| Sophie Molineux (Australia) | UP Warriorz, Rs 1.10 crore |
| Kiran Navgire (India) | Delhi Capitals, Rs 75 lakh |
| G Kamalini (India) | Gujarat Giants, Rs 40 lakh |
| Jess Jonassen (Australia) | RCB, Rs 40 lakh |
| Orla Prendergast (Ireland) | Gujarat Giants, Rs 30 lakh |
| Sneh Rana (India) | UP Warriorz, Rs 30 lakh |
| Chloe Tryon (South Africa) | RCB, Rs 30 lakh |
| Players sold | 25 of 27 available slots |
The Molineux bidding war
The left-arm spinning all-rounder was always expected to draw interest, and UP Warriorz made no secret of their intent. Royal Challengers Bengaluru pushed the bidding past the Rs 1 crore mark before dropping out at Rs 1.05 crore, even though they still had more in their purse. UPW director of cricket Kshemal Waingankar later said the franchise had been determined to get Molineux 'at any cost'.
Team-by-team: who bought whom
UP Warriorz (8 players, Rs 2.60 crore)
UPW walked in with the biggest purse and filled every one of their eight slots. Alongside Molineux they signed Sneh Rana, Grace Harris (who returns to the franchise after being released by RCB), Asha Sobhana and Sushma Verma for Rs 30 lakh each, plus Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini and Sahana Pawar for Rs 10 lakh each.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (4 players, Rs 1.10 crore)
RCB added experience with Jess Jonassen (Rs 40 lakh) and Chloe Tryon (Rs 30 lakh), plus Tejal Hasabnis (Rs 30 lakh) and Vrinda Dinesh (Rs 10 lakh). They left one slot unfilled.
Delhi Capitals (4 players, Rs 1.05 crore)
DC's headline buy was Kiran Navgire at Rs 75 lakh. They also picked Scotland's Kirstie Gordon, Nazma Khan and 15-year-old Karnataka all-rounder Uma Kashvi, the youngest player sold, for Rs 10 lakh each. DC also left one slot open.
Gujarat Giants (3 players, Rs 80 lakh)
Gujarat bought young India batter G Kamalini at her Rs 40 lakh base price, Ireland's Orla Prendergast for Rs 30 lakh and Samaira Raghav for Rs 10 lakh.
Mumbai Indians (6 players, Rs 70 lakh)
With the smallest purse of Rs 90 lakh, MI relied on their retained core and shopped for depth: Shweta Sehrawat (Rs 20 lakh), Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke and Akshita Bhagat (Rs 10 lakh each). Head coach Luke Williams said the retentions had given MI 'a solid core group'.
How the purses shaped the day
The pattern of spending followed the money each team brought into the room. UP Warriorz had the deepest pockets and used them to rebuild aggressively, signing nearly a third of all players sold. Mumbai Indians, with only Rs 90 lakh to spend, could not compete for marquee names and instead filled their squad with domestic players at or near base price. RCB and DC were selective, targeting one or two key players and leaving a slot unused rather than overpaying.
The overall spend of about Rs 6.25 crore is modest compared with a full WPL auction, which is expected for a mini-auction meant to fill gaps after retentions. But the Rs 1.10 crore paid for Molineux shows franchises are still willing to stretch for proven overseas all-rounders who can bat in the top order and bowl four overs of spin.
Notable names who missed out
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, listed at a base price of Rs 30 lakh, and England batter Sophia Dunkley did not find buyers, according to The Tribune. Athapaththu, however, has just been signed by Hobart Hurricanes for the WBBL as a replacement player.
What it means for Indian cricket
The auction once again showed how much the WPL values home talent. Navgire's price reflects demand for Indian power-hitters, while the 12 uncapped Indian signings, including a 15-year-old, give young domestic players a big platform. Players like Kamalini and Uma Kashvi will now train alongside international stars, a pathway that has already fast-tracked several players into the India side.
What happens next
With squads nearly complete, franchises will now turn to planning for the WPL 2027 season, and fans will watch for the BCCI's schedule and venue announcements. Attention in Indian cricket also turns to the men's IPL, where retention lists are due on November 15 ahead of the December 16 auction in Goa.
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