The defending champions of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ahead of the 2026 season, the Mumbai Indians, came into the mega auction with lots of expectation, as they had already retained their core group. Mumbai’s first and most costly retained player was the England captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, as Harmanpreet Kaur was happy to take the second spot.

Mumbai Indians also kept their star all-rounder from the West Indies, Hayley Matthews, who can offer them four overs with the ball at any point in the innings and open the batting, along with a massive contribution in the field. They also had Amanjot Kaur in the retained list.

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The first player bought off the auction for the Indians was the New Zealand spinner, Amelia Kerr, for a massive INR 3 crore. The 25-year-old comes with an incredible experience of 95 wickets in the Women’s T20Is at an average of 20.37 and an economy rate of just over six, besides smashing 1453 runs at a strike rate of around 110.

Mumbai Indians’ complete list of players ahead of WPL 2026

Shabnim Ismail was another star inclusion for the Mumbai Indians, as they were lucky enough to get the South African pacer for a price of INR 60 lakh, which is half of what she got in the last couple of editions of the tournament. Ismail can be an important member of the side in the opening overs with the new ball.

Mumbai Indians picked up only four players in the auction till the accelerated mode was activated. They also decided to resign the uncapped Indian spinner, Sanskriti Gupta, for a price of INR 20 lakh. Gupta was part of the Mumbai setup in the 2024/25 season of the event.

The competition will begin on January 08 at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai and run for another month to end in the first week of February at the Vadodara ground.

Complete squad of Mumbai Indians ahead of WPL 2026 season

Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, G. Kamalini, Amelia Kerr (Rs. 3.00 crore), Shabnim Ismail (Rs. 0.60 crore), Sanskriti Gupta (Rs. 0.20 crore), Sajana Sajeevan (Rs. 0.75 crore), Rahila Firdous (Rs. 0.10 crore), Nicola Carey (Rs. 0.30 crore), Poonam Khemnar (Rs. 0.10 crore), Triveni Vasistha (Rs. 0.20 crore), Nalla Reddy (Rs. 0.10 crore), Saika Ishaque (Rs. 0.30 crore), and Milly Illingworth (Rs. 0.10 crore). 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are MI’s retained players for WPL 2026?

MI kept their core of Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, and G. Kamalini for the new season.

Who was MI’s biggest buy?

They signed Amelia Kerr for ₹3 crore, making her one of the costliest picks of the auction.

Which new players joined MI?

MI added Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajana Sajeevan, Nicola Carey, and Saika Ishaque to boost depth.

What’s the team balance like?

The squad mixes experienced stars with young Indian talent, keeping a strong blend of skill and energy.

When does MI play next, and how big is the squad?

The WPL 2026 starts on January 8, and MI’s squad has 16 players in total.