Australian star all-rounder has withdrawn from the WPL mega auction
Jess Jonassen pulls out of the WPL 2026 auction with a shoulder injury, while Pratika Rawal, Yastika Bhatia, VJ Joshitha and Pooja Vastrakar face fitness concerns. Full updates from the inaugural WPL mega-auction featuring top international stars.
Australian bowling all-rounder Jess Jonassen has pulled out of the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega-auction owing to a shoulder injury that has troubled her for several months. Franchises were formally informed of her withdrawal during the WPL’s pre-auction briefing held on Wednesday, November 26.
Jonassen has been a vital presence for the Delhi Capitals Women across the first three seasons of the league, delivering consistently with both ball and bat. Over her WPL career, she has collected 33 wickets, the most by any DC player, and earned five Player of the Match awards, second only to Harmanpreet Kaur. With more than 10 wickets in each of her first two seasons and nine in the third, alongside 295 runs at a strike rate of 138.49, her absence is a significant setback for the auction pool. She was listed at a base price of INR 30 lakh for the 2026 mega-auction.
Injuries and fitness updates shape team strategies for the WPL 2026 mega-auction
The WPL also notified franchises about the fitness concerns of three Indian players: batter Pratika Rawal, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and seamer VJ Joshitha. Although all three remain in the auction list, they cannot be counted toward the mandatory 15-player squad requirement, and teams picking them will not be allowed replacements. Rawal has set a base price of INR 50 lakh, Bhatia at INR 30 lakh, and Joshitha at INR 10 lakh.
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India pacer Pooja Vastrakar, listed at a base price of INR 50 lakh, has been deemed not fully fit but will still take part in the auction. Meanwhile, promising quick Kashvee Gautam, priced at INR 30 lakh, has been declared fully fit and available.
The WPL 2026 mega-auction marks a significant milestone for the league, with 277 players registering for 73 available slots, 50 for Indian players and 23 for overseas signings. Each franchise can assemble a squad of up to 18 players, including a maximum of six overseas cricketers. The auction will open with a marquee set featuring global stars such as Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Amelia Kerr, Laura Wolvaardt, and India’s own Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh, before moving into the accelerated rounds.
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