The WPL 2026 mega auction wrapped up with some jaw-dropping price tags. Deepti Sharma became the most expensive player in WPL 2026 auction at Rs. 3.2 crore. UP Warriorz used their RTM card smartly to bring back their star all-rounder.
Deepti Sharma Breaks Records at Auction
So who emerged as the most expensive player in WPL 2026 overall? Deepti Sharma takes that crown without any doubt after the final hammer dropped. UP Warriorz had come prepared with four RTM cards and the biggest purse available.
They weren’t going to let Deepti slip away to another franchise easily. The bidding increased steadily as the Delhi Capitals showed serious interest. DC bought Deepti for ₹50 Lakhs. Finally, UP Warriorz played their Right to Match card at ₹3.2 crore.
This makes Deepti the costliest buy in women’s cricket bidding history so far. Her all-round skills with both bat and ball justify every rupee spent. UP Warriorz clearly views her as the backbone of their team for the next season.
Other Big-Money Moves at WPL 2026
Amelia Kerr wasn’t far behind in the most expensive players list this year. Mumbai Indians grabbed the Kiwi star for a massive ₹3 crore bid. That’s the kind of money reserved for genuine match-winners in cricket today.
Shikha Pandey became another hot buy during the proceedings. UP Warriorz and RCB fought tooth and nail for her signature ultimately. UP sealed the deal at ₹2.4 crore after some intense back-and-forth bidding.
Sophie Devine joined Gujarat Giants for ₹2 crore in another big signing. Meg Lanning went to UP Warriorz for ₹1.9 crore despite her recent retirement. Delhi Capitals spent ₹1.3 crore each on Shree Charani and Chinelle Henry smartly.
Record-Breaking Auction Numbers
The entire WPL 2026 bidding saw 67 players finding new homes across franchises. Teams spent a combined ₹40.8 crore on building their squads for next season. 23 overseas stars were picked up by various teams during the proceedings.
UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants went all out with their spending romp. Both teams had only ₹15 lakh left after finalizing their full team. GG and UP ended up with the biggest squads of 18 players each.
Mumbai Indians, RCB, and Delhi Capitals settled for 16 players in total. The bidding war showed that franchises are willing to invest heavily in quality.
