Kochi: Australia captain Sophie Molineux became the costliest buy of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 mini-auction on Wednesday, with UP Warriorz signing the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder for Rs 1.10 crore — yaani 11 million rupees — after a fast bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, IANS reported.
Source: IANS
Molineux, who was part of RCB's title-winning squad in 2024 and missed WPL 2026, had set her base price at Rs 50 lakh. UP Warriorz opened the bidding, RCB pushed the price through Rs 95 lakh and Rs 1.05 crore, and UPW finally sealed the deal at Rs 1.10 crore. The Australian recently returned to international cricket in the T20I series against New Zealand after recovering from a hip injury.
UP Warriorz were the busiest and biggest-spending franchise of the day, making eight signings to complete their squad of 18. Alongside Molineux, they brought back Grace Harris, Sneh Rana and Asha Sobhana at Rs 30 lakh each, signed veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma for Rs 30 lakh, and added Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini and Sahana Pawar at the Rs 10 lakh base price, according to the final auction list reported by IANS.
Source: IANS
How the other teams shopped
Gujarat Giants picked up young India wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini for Rs 40 lakh and Ireland's Orla Prendergast for Rs 30 lakh. Delhi Capitals made their first signing by securing India batter Kiran Navgire for Rs 75 lakh after Mumbai Indians pushed the bidding to Rs 70 lakh. Royal Challengers Bengaluru signed Jess Jonassen for Rs 40 lakh, Chloe Tryon and Tejal Hasabnis for Rs 30 lakh each and Vrinda Dinesh for Rs 10 lakh. Mumbai Indians filled all six of their slots with uncapped Indian players, led by Shweta Sehrawat at Rs 20 lakh, with Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke and Akshita Bhagat at Rs 10 lakh each, MyKhel's squad roundup showed.
Source: MyKhel
Mumbai Indians head coach Luke Williams said the two-time champions had used the auction to build depth around their retained core. "Certainly today was about trying to add to the group, whether that's in the starting XI potentially, or if not, providing different options and coverage through the tournament," Williams said at the post-auction press conference, IANS reported.
Big names go unsold
It was a hard day for several established internationals. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and England batter Sophia Dunkley found no buyers, and neither did India wicketkeepers Taniyaa Bhatia, Uma Chetry and Nuzhat Parween, spinners Saika Ishaque and Priya Mishra, pacer Titas Sadhu, or Australia's Tayla Vlaeminck and South Africa's Nonkululeko Mlaba. Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru each finished with one slot unfilled, left with only Rs 5 lakh — below the Rs 10 lakh base price of any remaining player.
The WPL 2027 season will be played from January 14 to February 7, 2027, with venues yet to be announced, IANS reported.
The mini-auction showed where WPL teams now put their money: proven spin-bowling all-rounders and Indian squad depth. UP Warriorz, who had the biggest purse, rebuilt almost their entire bowling attack in one evening — and still finished with Rs 1.15 crore unspent.