WPL 2026: Major Player Retentions Announced
India’s World Cup champions Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shafali Verma headline the list of players retained by Women’s Premier League franchises ahead of the 2026 mega auction.
Key Takeaways
- Defending champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals retain maximum 5 players each
- RCB keeps 4 players, Gujarat Giants 2, UP Warriorz 1
- First-time RTM option introduced for 2026 auction
Notable Releases
World Cup star Deepti Sharma, along with Australian veterans Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning, and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr have been released by their respective franchises according to ESPNcricinfo reports.
Retention Rules Explained
Franchises can retain up to three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. Teams retaining five players must include at least one uncapped Indian player.
New RTM Option
For the first time, WPL franchises will have right-to-match (RTM) option at auction to buy back players from their 2025 squads.
