Delhi Capitals have announced the list of players they are keeping ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. The three-time finalists decided to retain five key players, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, and Niki Prasad, before the upcoming mega auction. This shows that the team wants to keep its strong core and continue building around its best performers.

Jemimah and Shafali were part of India’s World Cup-winning team just a few days ago and played important roles in the knockout matches. Their performances once again proved their talent and value to the Delhi Capitals squad. Delhi Capitals’ management and support staff reviewed all player performances carefully before making their final retention choices. This clearly indicates the focus that the team is putting into maintaining a well-balanced, stable, and strong core for the next season.

By retaining these five players, Delhi Capitals shows that its long-term vision is not only to develop players but to create a winning culture. In the first three seasons, the team displayed solid consistency in reaching the final each season, despite being unsuccessful in winning the trophy. With this core group, the franchise hopes to go one step further in 2026 and finally lift the trophy.

Delhi Capitals Look Ahead with Confidence

Parth Jindal, Co-owner of Delhi Capitals and Founder of JSW Sports, said, “Letting go of players from such a consistent, high-performing squad is never easy, but that’s the challenge that comes with a mega auction. Every player has played an important role in our journey. Although we narrowly missed lifting the trophy, we’re proud of what this group has achieved.”

He added, “We’re very satisfied with our retentions. Jemi, Shafali, Marizanne, Annabel, and Niki form a strong core for us to build around. My best wishes to all players, both retained and released. We’re looking forward to the first-ever WPL mega auction and hope this is the year we go one step further.”

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Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman and Co-owner of Delhi Capitals, said, “The WPL has been a great journey for women’s cricket in India. We’re proud of our team’s consistency and the spirit they’ve shown. As we enter a new season, our focus is on developing the talent we already have and strengthening our squad further.”

Head Coach Jonathan Batty added, “We’ve played some great cricket over the past three seasons. It’s always tough to release players, but that’s part of the process. We’re happy with our retained players and now plan to build the rest of the team around them.”

Retained Players: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Niki Prasad
Released Players: Meg Lanning, Sneha Deepthi, Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jess Jonassen, Minnu Mani, N Charani, Shikha Pandey, Nandini Kashyap, Sarah Bryce, Taniyaa Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu

The head coach of the UP Warriorz, Abhishek Nayar, has taken a baffling decision not to retain the star all-rounder of the Indian side, Deepti Sharma, who was recently named the Player of the Tournament for the Women’s World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka, ahead of the mega auction of Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, which is set to begin next week in January.

The franchise found itself dropping several high-profile members of the side. The UP-based team, which qualified for the playoffs in the inaugural edition of the WPL, decided to undergo a major overhaul. From the previous season of the event, the only promising youngster- Shweta Sehrawat- has also been retained from the uncapped Indian pool.

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The likes of Alysa Healy, Sophie Eccelesterone, Alana King, Grace Harris, Tahila McGrath- all have been released, along with Indian names as Deepti and Kranti Goud. Deepti has smashed 507 runs in 24 innings of the WPL at an average of 28.16 and a strike rate of 117.63 with the help of three half-centuries.

UP Warriorz head coach reveals reason to drop Deepti Sharma ahead of WPL 2026 auction

Deepti, who delivered a sensational all-round performance at the 50-over World Cup with 215 runs and picked up 22 wickets, including a match-winning fifty and five-wicket haul in the final against South Africa, was seen as one of the key figures in the Blue Brigade’s campaign.

“When it comes to retentions, it’s always difficult because you’re dealing with world-class players and leaders in their own right. The idea from the franchises was to start afresh, have more money available in the purse, and a team that can go all the way. We wanted to make sure we have enough resources to get the players we believe can win the championship.” Head coach of UP Warriorz, Abhishek Nayar, expressed during his interaction on JioStar.

“These calls are never easy, but we believe in our process. The goal now is to go into the auction with intent, make smart decisions, and put together a side capable of winning the title.” The former Indian coach addressed.

Ahead of the fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that a mega auction will be held in the final week of November, reshaping the squads for the next cycle. All five franchises submitted their lists of retained and released players on November 5, with the official announcement scheduled to air tonight on Star Sports after the India vs Australia 4th T20I.

The WPL’s new retention policy allows franchises to retain a maximum of five players, up to three Indian players and two overseas internationals.

Retention Price Slabs

Teams that retain fewer than five players will receive Right to Match (RTM) cards during the auction. For instance, a team retaining only two players will be granted three RTM cards.

WPL 2026 Mega Auction Details

• Date: November 27, 2025
• Venue: New Delhi
• Total Purse: ₹15 crore per team

Franchise-Wise Retentions and Purse Remaining

Mumbai Indians (MI)

When everyone expected Harmanpreet Kaur to be the top retention after a successful year leading India to the ODI World Cup title, the Mumbai Indians surprised everyone by naming Nat Sciver-Brunt as their top pick for ₹3.5 crore.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹5.75 crore

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

The defending champions retained their strong core led by Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry. Newly appointed head coach Malolan Rangarajan expressed his excitement about shaping the next chapter for RCB Women.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹6.15 crore

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi went for a balanced mix of Indian and overseas talent. Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma continue to headline their batting unit, while the addition of young all-rounder Niki Prasad gives them a long-term prospect.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹5.7 crore

Gujarat Giants (GG)

The Giants have chosen to go with just two overseas retentions, both superstars of the women’s game, leaving themselves plenty of flexibility with a large auction purse.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹9 crore

UP Warriorz (UPW)

UP Warriorz have gone with a clean slate, retaining only one player, Shweta Sehrawat, which gives them the largest purse heading into the auction.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹14.5 crore

Big Names Released Ahead of the Mega Auction

Several marquee players are reportedly heading into the auction pool this year, making it one of the most anticipated drafts yet.

Top 5 Potential Releases:

• Meg Lanning
• Sophie Ecclestone
• Deepti Sharma
• Alyssa Healy
• Laura Wolvaardt

The WPL 2026 mega auction promises to be a blockbuster event. With franchises reshaping their cores and big international names set to go under the hammer, expect plenty of surprises and record-breaking bids on November 27.

The next few weeks will define how the WPL’s fourth edition shapes up, and which team builds the next championship-winning combination.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) declared the appointment of the new head coach, Malolan Rangarajan, ahead of the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. He was part of the Women's coaching staff last year and the season prior in 2024, assisting Luke Williams’ management. But he will now get a leading responsibility. 

Bengaluru finished the 2024 season of the league at the third position in the points table with four victories and as many defeats in eight matches at a net run rate of +0.306. They blew away the Mumbai Indians in the eliminator by five runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium before completing a stiff chase of 115 runs by eight wickets in the final against the Delhi Capitals.

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“Malolan Rangarajan, a key member of the RCB support staff for the last 6 years in various roles, has now been appointed as Head Coach for the upcoming WPL cycle.” The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise revealed in an official statement that they look to add another title to the success of 2024.

Malolan Rangarajan named new head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in WPL 2026

Bengaluru’s captain, Smriti Madhana, is the franchise’s second leading run-getter in the history of the competition. The captain has bagged 646 runs in 26 innings at an average of nearly 25 and a strike rate of 128.68 with the help of four half-centuries at the best score of 81 runs. She is excited to work with their new head coach.

“I want to congratulate Malolan Rangarajan on his appointment as Head Coach of RCB in the WPL. I share a great rapport with him, and I’ve enjoyed our cricketing discussions. He’s been a positive influence on the girls over the last three years, and I’m confident of working well together, leading RCB to success in the upcoming season.” Mandhana noted.

Ahead of the 2026 mega auction of the WPL, Bengaluru are expected to retain Mandhana, Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil. They will have one option of using the right-to-match card and INR 6.25 crore to build the rest of the squad.

India women’s World Cup winners- Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues- are among the high-profile players to be retained for the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) by various franchises ahead of the mega auction. According to ESPNcricinfo reports, the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have decided to retain five players, the maximum allowed.

Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning, New Zealand’s all-rounder Amelia Kerr, will enter the auction pool along with the marquee release of India’s Deepti Sharma, the player of the tournament in the World Cup. Deepti led the Warriorz in Healy’s absence in 2025. Bengaluru retained four players while Gujarat and UP went with two and one, respectively.

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Franchises are allowed to retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, a maximum of two overseas players, and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players. In a case they want to keep their five players, the rules state that at least one should be an uncapped player/

WPL 2026 auction: UP Warriorz set to release Deepti Sharma ahead of mega auction

The WPL, for the first time, will have the use of the right-to-match (RTM) card in the auction to buy back a player who was part of their squad in 2025. The franchises are allotted INR 15 crore for the auction, which will take place on November 27 in Delhi. Delhi and Mumbai will have INR 5.75 crore to build their squad, which should have been between 16 and 18 players.

The UP side, who kept their uncapped player, will have the maximum purse of INR 14.5 crore along with four RTMs. On the other hand, the Giants will have three RTMs, restricted to Indian players, and a purse of INR 9 crore, while RCB will have INR 6.25 crore besides one RTM card.

List of retained players for Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026-

Delhi Capitals: Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Niki Prasad

Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amanjot Kaur, G Kamalini, and Hayley Matthews

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil

Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner

UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat

With the Women’s World Cup 2025 ending in a thrilling win for India, the spotlight now shifts to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, and the buzz is all about the retentions deadline and the upcoming mega auction. The deadline day has arrived, and all five franchises are set to make some crucial decisions before the auction scheduled later this month.

After three exciting seasons, the tournament heads into its first major reshuffle, with each side allowed to retain a limited number of players ahead of the 2026 edition. Even though the number of teams remains the same, a mini reset is expected as franchises prepare to rebuild and balance their squads within the salary cap.

WPL 2026 Retention Rules and Deadline

As per the official communication from the WPL Governing Council, the deadline for teams to submit their retention lists is November 5, 2025. The mega auction will follow on November 27 in New Delhi.

Each team has been allotted a ₹15 crore purse, and franchises can retain a maximum of five players. The retention combination has also been defined clearly to ensure balance between Indian and overseas talent.

Salary Structure and Purse Deductions

The Women’s Premier League follows a structured retention model where the total purse deduction increases with each additional player retained.

This means that if a team retains all five players, they will have ₹5.75 crore left for the auction. Teams opting for fewer retentions will have more funds and additional Right-to-Match cards to bring back released players.

Right-to-Match (RTM) Explained

The RTM card gives franchises the power to buy back their previously released players by matching the highest bid during the auction. However, the availability of RTMs depends on how many players are retained before the auction.

This strategy allows teams to balance squad loyalty and flexibility, they can release expensive players and attempt to buy them back at a lower price.

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Possible Retention Scenarios

Franchises like Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, who have dominated the first three seasons, face some tough calls. Both sides have a pool of top-tier players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Meg Lanning, and Shafali Verma, and may have to let go of key overseas stars to manage purse value.

Meanwhile, teams like Gujarat Giants are expected to make a fresh start, likely retaining just one or two names such as Ashleigh Gardner or Phoebe Litchfield.

WPL 2026 Schedule and Format

According to reports from The Times of India, the WPL 2026 season is likely to begin around January 6 or 8, earlier than previous editions. The competition will continue in its five-team round-robin format, followed by playoffs and the final.

Live Telecast and Streaming Details

According to JioTV.com, the WPL 2026 Retention Deadline Show will be broadcast live on Star Sports 2 (Hindi) at 5 PM IST. The event is also expected to be streamed on JioHotstar.

Key Dates to Remember

In Summary

The WPL 2026 mega auction is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events in women’s cricket. With stricter retention limits, new RTM rules, and a packed talent pool post the World Cup, the bidding war in New Delhi is expected to be intense.

Franchises will have to strike the perfect balance between retaining proven stars and freeing up enough purse to rebuild for the long run. As anticipation builds, all eyes will be on the retention lists, and the stars who might just go under the hammer again.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are bolstering their women’s setup with a major appointment ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. Former England fast bowler and 2017 World Cup winner Anya Shrubsole has joined the franchise as the new bowling coach, marking her first stint in the WPL.

Shrubsole replaces Sunetra Paranjape, who served as RCB’s bowling coach until 2025. The English legend brings a wealth of experience, having taken over 200 international wickets before retiring from international cricket in 2022. Best remembered for her iconic 6-wicket haul in the 2017 World Cup final that sealed England’s triumph, Shrubsole’s arrival is seen as a big boost to RCB’s bowling department.

Since her retirement, Shrubsole has transitioned into coaching, working as player-assistant coach under Charlotte Edwards at the Southern Vipers in England’s domestic setup. Her move to RCB adds another chapter to her illustrious career, this time as a mentor guiding the next generation of fast bowlers.

Rangarajan Takes Charge as Head Coach, Shrubsole Brings World Cup Experience to RCB

The coaching change at RCB comes amid a broader reshuffle. Head coach Luke Williams, who led the side in 2024 and 2025, will miss the upcoming season due to commitments with Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. With the WPL advanced to a January 8 start, Williams’ schedules clashed, forcing RCB to appoint Malolan Rangarajan as interim head coach.

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Rangarajan, a former Tamil Nadu spinner and long-time member of RCB’s setup, has served as assistant coach and lead scout since the league’s inception. He played a key role in RCB’s historic WPL title win in 2024, their maiden trophy across both men’s and women’s teams.

The new coaching duo of Rangarajan and Shrubsole will soon oversee crucial retention decisions ahead of the November 5 deadline, with the WPL mega auction scheduled for November 26 in New Delhi.

RCB are expected to retain captain Smriti Mandhana, along with Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sophie Molineux, and Shreyanka Patil. After finishing fourth in 2025, RCB aim to reclaim their 2024 glory, this time with Shrubsole’s winning mentality leading their bowling attack.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have signed the former England fast bowler, Anya Shrubsole, as their new bowling coach ahead of the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) as part of the reshuffle of their support staff. She will work along with Malolan Rangarajan, the former spinner of the Tamil Nadu side, who would step in as head coach for the future edition.

The change was important due to Luke Williams’ pre-commitment as the head coach ahead of the 2024 season. She won’t be part of the WPL 2026 due to being with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL). This has occurred due to the pre-schedule of the WPL, which has been advanced by a month and is going to begin on January 08 and end in early February.

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The 33-year-old Shrubsole featured in 15 innings of the Women’s Test matches to pick 19 wickets at an average of 33.42 and a strike rate of 81.8, with two four-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 4/51 in an inning.

Who is RCB's new bowling coach Anya Shrubsole ahead of WPL 2026

In the women’s ODI format, the right-arm medium pacer has bagged 106 wickets in 85 innings at an average of 26.53 and a strike rate of 37.70, riding on four four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 6/46 in an inning. In 79 innings of the women’s T20Is, the Somerset bowler has picked up 102 wickets at an average of 15.55 and a strike rate of 15.6, with the best figures of 5/11 in an inning.

Anya is a world cup-winning in 2017 and retired from international cricket in 2022 with over 200 wickets. In the season that followed, she served as the player and assistant coach under Charlotte Edwards at the Southern Vipers.

Shrubsole’s stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be her first in the Women’s Premier League, with Sunetra Paranjpe being the previous bowling coach of the side until 2025. The other members of the support staff are R Muralidhar and Navnita Gautam. Bengaluru had two fourth-place finishes before lifting their first-ever title in 2024, followed by the men’s side lifting the trophy in 2025.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has launched a tender process inviting reputed organisations to secure the Official Partner Rights for the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

The process is being conducted through a Request for Quotations (RFQ), which lays down detailed terms and conditions for the submission and evaluation of bids. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated, “The RFQ will be made available on receipt of a non-refundable fee of INR 1,00,000 plus applicable Goods and Services Tax. Interested parties must follow the procedure outlined in the RFQ for submission of payment details.”

RFQ Timeline

Interested parties are required to email payment confirmation to rfq@bcci.tv as per the procedure mentioned in Annexure A of the RFQ. It is clarified that purchasing the RFQ alone does not entitle submission of a quotation.

Eligibility

Only quotations for product categories not listed as Blocked or Prohibited will be considered. Any quotation in blocked or prohibited categories will be treated as non-compliant.

Blocked Product Categories

Prohibited Product Categories

BCCI reserves the right to cancel or amend the RFQ process at any stage without providing a reason.

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RFQ Payment Procedure

Indian Entities

Foreign Entities

Payment confirmation must be emailed to rfq@bcci.tv with the subject line:
"Confirmation of Payment of RFQ Fee for Official Partner Rights for Women’s Premier League"

Required details include:

• Name of the Party
• Registered Address
• PAN No (if applicable)
• GST No (if applicable)

WPL 2026 Auction

The WPL 2026 auction is scheduled for November 26-27 in New Delhi, with teams being informally notified about the venue.

Key points:

• Only five teams are participating, with squads capped at 18 players.
• Auction expected to conclude in one day.
• Right to Match (RTM) rule applies: teams can reclaim a released player by matching the highest bid.
• Teams retaining all five players will have INR 9.25 crore deducted from their auction purse and forfeit RTM usage.

Defending champions: Mumbai Indians (MI)

Recent performance: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) failed to qualify for the Eliminator in 2023 and 2025 despite a previous championship win.

As the Women's Premier League (WPL) prepares for its fourth season, a major shake-up could be on the cards with the possible return of a mega auction in 2026. This move, reminiscent of the men’s IPL format, could see teams rebuilding their squads almost from scratch, retaining only a select few players while the rest return to the auction pool.

While the final rules regarding the number of retentions, auction purse, and right-to-match (RTM) cards are yet to be confirmed, every franchise will be strategizing carefully. For Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who finally tasted glory in the WPL, identifying their core group will be crucial to maintaining balance and momentum.

Here’s a look at five players RCB must retain ahead of the WPL 2026 auction.

1. Smriti Mandhana

An obvious choice, Smriti Mandhana remains the heartbeat of RCB. As captain and opener, she has led from the front with consistent performances and smart leadership. Her evolution as a batter and her ability to anchor or accelerate depending on the situation make her indispensable.

Having guided RCB to their maiden WPL title and continuing to shine at the international level, Mandhana embodies what the franchise stands for class, composure, and consistency. There’s no question that RCB will build their next cycle around her.

2. Richa Ghosh

Dynamic, fearless, and efficient, Richa Ghosh is one of the finest wicketkeeper-batters in the country. At just 22, she has already proven her worth in crunch situations, whether it’s finishing innings with power or keeping her cool behind the stumps.

Given the scarcity of high-quality Indian wicketkeepers in the women’s circuit, letting Ghosh go would be a huge risk. Her maturity and composure have made her an invaluable part of RCB’s middle order, and she is undoubtedly a long-term investment.

3. Ellyse Perry

When it comes to reliability and impact, Ellyse Perry is in a league of her own. A proven match-winner across formats, Perry has been the backbone of RCB’s batting order, combining elegance with consistency.

She was RCB’s top run-scorer and the second-highest overall in one of the earlier editions, averaging close to 65 with a healthy strike rate. Her performances in other leagues, like the WBBL and The Hundred, have shown she still has plenty to offer. RCB will know that replacing someone of Perry’s calibre from the auction pool would be almost impossible.

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4. Sophie Molineux

Versatile and tactical, Sophie Molineux adds immense value as a left-arm spinner and lower-order batter. Her absence due to injury was a major blow for RCB in 2025, especially after her key role in their championship-winning 2024 campaign.

Recently, Molineux has continued to impress on the global stage, helping the Melbourne Renegades clinch the BBL 2024-25 title and delivering standout performances in the ongoing Women’s ODI World Cup. Her ability to deliver breakthroughs and contribute with the bat makes her one of the smartest retentions RCB could make.

5. Shreyanka Patil

Shreyanka Patil’s rise has been one of RCB’s biggest success stories. The leading wicket-taker in the WPL 2024, she quickly established herself as one of India’s most exciting young spinners before injuries sidelined her in 2025.

Now back in action after featuring in the 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Shreyanka is seen as a key piece in RCB’s future plans. Her blend of wicket-taking ability, energy, and aggression makes her a player around whom RCB can build their spin attack for years to come.

Honourable Mentions:

• Georgia Wareham – Reliable leg-spinner and handy lower-order hitter.
• Sneh Rana – Experienced Indian all-rounder with leadership traits.
• Renuka Singh Thakur – Proven new-ball bowler capable of early breakthroughs.

Final Thoughts

With a potential mega auction on the horizon, Royal Challengers Bangalore face the tough task of balancing experience and youth. However, retaining the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, and Shreyanka Patil would give them a stable and formidable core, one that can ensure sustained success and possibly more silverware in the seasons to come.