WPL 2027 auction: Sophie Molineux tops the list as all five teams complete their squads

The WPL 2027 auction delivered a mix of big bids, strategic buys and opportunities for emerging Indian cricketers, with Sophie Molineux emerging as the most expensive player after UP Warriorz secured the Australian all-rounder for ₹1.10 crore. Delhi Capitals made headlines by signing Kiran Navgire for ₹75 lakh, making her the most expensive Indian player at the auction, while Gujarat Giants strengthened their squad with Ireland international Orla Prendergast.

With all five franchises working to fill their remaining squad positions, the Women’s Premier League 2027 auction brought together established international names, domestic performers and players hoping to make their mark on the biggest stage in Indian women’s franchise cricket.

The auction featured 147 players in the overall pool, according to the supplied auction report, with only 27 slots available across the five teams. Each franchise approached the event differently. UP Warriorz invested heavily in rebuilding their squad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru focused on targeted additions, and Mumbai Indians concentrated on completing their roster with budget-friendly selections.

Here is a closer look at the biggest WPL 2027 auction buys, team-wise squads, purse details and the players who attracted the most attention.

Sophie Molineux becomes the most expensive player at WPL 2027 auction

Sophie Molineux was the headline signing of the WPL 2027 auction after UP Warriorz paid ₹1.10 crore to bring the Australian all-rounder into their squad. With a base price of ₹50 lakh, Molineux attracted a significant investment from the franchise as it looked to strengthen its options for the upcoming season.

Her signing underlined UP Warriorz’s intention to build a more competitive squad after releasing several players ahead of the auction. The Australian brings experience as a left-arm spinner and a left-handed batter, offering flexibility in team selection and balance across different match situations.

Molineux finished comfortably ahead of the other players in the auction’s highest-value signings. Her ₹1.10 crore deal was the biggest bid reported at the event, making her the only player to cross the ₹1 crore mark.

UP Warriorz also used the auction to add depth to several departments. Sneh Rana, Grace Harris and Sushma Verma were among the notable additions, while Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini, Sahana Pawar and Asha Shobhana provided further options.

The franchise’s approach reflected a clear priority: strengthen the squad with a combination of international experience and Indian domestic talent rather than relying on a small number of headline names.

Kiran Navgire becomes the most expensive Indian player

Kiran Navgire was another major talking point after Delhi Capitals signed the Indian batter for ₹75 lakh. Starting with a base price of ₹40 lakh, Navgire attracted an aggressive bid from Delhi and finished the auction as the most expensive Indian player.

Navgire has already featured in international cricket for India and brings power-hitting potential to the middle order. Her ability to score quickly makes her an interesting option in a format where teams often need batters capable of changing the momentum within a few overs.

According to the supplied figures, Navgire has played six T20 internationals and scored 17 runs, while her WPL record stands at 435 runs in 31 matches. Although those numbers provide only part of the picture, her value to Delhi will depend on how effectively she can turn her hitting ability into consistent contributions.

Navgire was previously associated with UP Warriorz. Her move to Delhi Capitals gives her a fresh opportunity in a different team environment and places her among the important domestic players to watch in the 2027 season.

Delhi also signed Uma Kashvi, Kirstie Gordon and Nazma Khan for ₹10 lakh each, according to the supplied auction details. These additions offered the franchise further depth while keeping its spending under control after the sizeable investment in Navgire.

WPL 2027 auction: Top five most expensive players

The auction’s leading reported purchases included players from four franchises, with UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru both making significant investments in experienced all-rounders.

The supplied auction notes list G. Kamalini at ₹45 lakh in the Gujarat Giants section, although a separate summary lists her at ₹40 lakh. The team-wise figure has been used in this table; the final official auction record should be checked before publication.

These purchases show that franchises were prepared to invest in players who could address specific squad requirements. While Molineux attracted the biggest overall bid, Navgire’s signing stood out among Indian players. Jonassen and Rana, meanwhile, offered experience and all-round options that can prove valuable across a long tournament.

UP Warriorz rebuild with the biggest headline signing

UP Warriorz entered the auction with a substantial rebuilding task after retaining 10 players. Their reported auction purse was ₹3.75 crore, giving them room to pursue multiple targets rather than focus on a single purchase.

Molineux was their biggest signing at ₹1.10 crore. The franchise also bought Sneh Rana for ₹30 lakh, Grace Harris for ₹30 lakh and Sushma Verma for ₹30 lakh. Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini, Sahana Pawar and Asha Shobhana were additional acquisitions.

The combination gives UP Warriorz options in batting, bowling and wicketkeeping. Harris offers an aggressive batting approach, while Rana adds experience as an all-rounder. Verma strengthens the wicketkeeping group, and the additional bowling choices provide greater flexibility when conditions demand changes to the playing XI.

UP Warriorz retained Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Kshipra Giri, Simran Shaikh and Sophie Ecclestone.

UP Warriorz squad: Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Kshipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone, Sophie Molineux, Sneh Rana, Grace Harris, Sushma Verma, Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini, Sahana Pawar and Asha Shobhana.

The supplied report lists ₹1.15 crore as the remaining purse but also says no slots were left vacant. Those figures should be verified against the official auction sheet before publication.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru focus on targeted additions

Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered the auction with ₹1.15 crore remaining and five slots to fill. Having retained the core of their squad, the franchise did not need to make a large number of changes.

Jess Jonassen was their most expensive reported acquisition at ₹40 lakh. The Australian all-rounder adds experience and left-arm spin, giving the team another option in both departments.

RCB also signed Tejal Hasabnis for ₹30 lakh, Chloe Tryon for ₹30 lakh and Vrinda Dinesh for ₹10 lakh. The additions provided a mix of batting and all-round ability, with Tryon bringing international experience and Hasabnis offering another Indian batting option.

The franchise retained Arundhati Reddy, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyusha Kumar, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil and Smriti Mandhana.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad: Arundhati Reddy, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyusha Kumar, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Jess Jonassen, Tejal Hasabnis, Chloe Tryon and Vrinda Dinesh.

RCB’s strategy appears to have been about adding depth without disturbing the foundation of the team. Jonassen’s experience could be particularly useful in matches where spin and all-round contributions become important.

Mumbai Indians complete their squad with budget signings

Mumbai Indians, two-time WPL champions according to the supplied report, approached the auction with ₹90 lakh and six available slots. Their foreign-player slots were already full, so the franchise focused on domestic additions.

Mumbai signed Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke, Shweta Sehrawat and Akshita Bhagat for ₹10 lakh each, as listed in the team-wise auction account.

Shweta Sehrawat adds another batting option, while the other recruits give Mumbai further choices across their squad. With the core group already in place, the franchise could concentrate on completing its roster rather than competing for the auction’s most expensive players.

Mumbai retained Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Rahila Firdous, Sajeevan Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Vaishnavi Sharma and Tara Norris.

Mumbai Indians squad: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Rahila Firdous, Sajeevan Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Vaishnavi Sharma, Tara Norris, Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke, Shweta Sehrawat and Akshita Bhagat.

Mumbai’s relatively conservative auction strategy leaves its performance dependent on how effectively its established players and new recruits work together. Squad depth can be valuable over a demanding season, especially when injuries or changes in form force teams to adjust their combinations.

Gujarat Giants add G. Kamalini and Orla Prendergast

Gujarat Giants retained 15 players and entered the auction with ₹1.25 crore available and three reported slots to fill. Their key acquisitions were G. Kamalini, Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast and Samaira Raghav.

Kamalini was listed at ₹45 lakh in the team-wise account, while Prendergast joined for her base price of ₹30 lakh. Samaira Raghav was acquired for ₹10 lakh.

Prendergast’s signing was especially notable because the supplied report identifies her as the first Irish player to be bought in the WPL. Her inclusion adds an international dimension to Gujarat’s squad and gives the franchise another all-round option.

Gujarat retained Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Bharti Fulmali, Georgia Wareham, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Kim Garth, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Tanuja Kanwar and Yastika Bhatia.

Gujarat Giants squad: Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Bharti Fulmali, Georgia Wareham, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Kim Garth, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Tanuja Kanwar, Yastika Bhatia, G. Kamalini, Orla Prendergast and Samaira Raghav.

Gujarat’s retention-heavy approach gives it continuity, while the new additions strengthen its options without requiring a major overhaul.

Delhi Capitals invest in Kiran Navgire

Delhi Capitals have reached four WPL finals, according to the supplied report, but are still seeking the breakthrough title. Their auction plan centred on a significant investment in Navgire, supported by three lower-cost purchases.

Delhi retained Annabel Sutherland, Shikha Pandey? No — the supplied Delhi retention list names Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Diya Yadav, Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt, Lucy Hamilton, Mamatha Madiwala, Marizanne Kapp, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Niki Prasad and Shafali Verma.

The franchise then added Navgire for ₹75 lakh, with Uma Kashvi, Kirstie Gordon and Nazma Khan reportedly joining for ₹10 lakh apiece.

Delhi Capitals squad: Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Diya Yadav, Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt, Lucy Hamilton, Mamatha Madiwala, Marizanne Kapp, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Niki Prasad, Shafali Verma, Kiran Navgire, Uma Kashvi, Kirstie Gordon and Nazma Khan.

Navgire’s role will be worth watching as Delhi look to convert their strong history of reaching finals into a championship-winning campaign. Her ability to provide quick runs could give the batting order another attacking option.

Which team made the smartest WPL 2027 auction moves?

UP Warriorz made the most eye-catching move by signing Molineux for ₹1.10 crore, but the value of an auction cannot be judged by its biggest bid alone. The impact of each signing will depend on availability, role clarity, form and how well the player fits into the team’s plans.

Delhi Capitals made a statement with Navgire, investing heavily in an Indian batter who could offer an attacking dimension. Gujarat Giants prioritised continuity while adding Kamalini and Prendergast, while Mumbai Indians focused on completing their squad through lower-cost purchases.

RCB’s strategy was more selective, with Jonassen leading a short list of additions to an established core. That approach could pay off if the retained players remain fit and the new signings settle quickly.

The most important question is not simply which team spent the most, but which franchise assembled the best balance of batting, bowling, all-rounders and backup options. The answer will become clearer once the teams begin preparing for the season and their likely playing combinations take shape.

WPL 2027 auction: What happens next?

With the auction complete, attention will shift to squad preparation, player availability and the combinations each franchise intends to use. Supporters will be keen to see how Molineux adapts to UP Warriorz, whether Navgire can make a decisive impact for Delhi, and how Gujarat’s international recruits fit into the side.

The WPL has become an important platform for Indian domestic cricketers to share dressing rooms with leading international players. Auction prices generate headlines, but sustained performances across the tournament ultimately determine a player’s influence.

For the franchises, the next challenge is to turn their auction plans into results on the field. For supporters, the new squads create fresh storylines and rivalries ahead of the 2027 campaign.

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