Following the Women’s ODI World Cup, Indian players have become the hottest picks in the upcoming 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) season. The franchises have announced their list of retained players ahead of the auction set to take place on November 27 in New Delhi, and it’s the Indian cricketers who have taken center stage.
Mumbai Indians retained captain Harmanpreet Kaur for ₹2.5 crore, while Smriti Mandhana, the Indian vice-captain, remained with Royal Challengers Bangalore for a whopping ₹3.5 crore — the joint-highest salary in the league. Richa Ghosh, India’s young wicketkeeper-batter, has also been retained by RCB for ₹2.75 crore.
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals held on to their Indian core as well, retaining Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma for ₹2.2 crore each. Both players were standout performers in the recent ODI World Cup, where India made it to the semifinals. Jemimah’s consistency in the middle order and Shafali’s explosive starts were crucial for India’s campaign.
The list of retentions released by the franchises has revealed some surprises — notably, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, the top scorer of the ODI World Cup, and India’s Deepti Sharma, the Player of the Tournament, were not retained by their respective teams Gujarat Giants and UP Warriors.
Players like Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians), Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants), and Smriti Mandhana (RCB) remain the highest-paid players in the league at ₹3.5 crore each — underlining their immense value and consistency on the global stage.
Team-wise Retentions for WPL 2026
Mumbai Indians
Nat Sciver-Brunt – ₹3.5 crore
Harmanpreet Kaur – ₹2.5 crore
Hayley Matthews – ₹1.75 crore
Amanjot Kaur – ₹1 crore
G. Kamalini – ₹50 lakh
Delhi Capitals
Jemimah Rodrigues – ₹2.2 crore
Marizanne Kapp – ₹2.2 crore
Shafali Verma – ₹2.2 crore
Annabel Sutherland – ₹2.2 crore
Nicky Prasad – ₹50 lakh
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Smriti Mandhana – ₹3.5 crore
Richa Ghosh – ₹2.75 crore
Ellyse Perry – ₹2 crore
Shreyanka Patil – ₹60 lakh
UP Warriors
Shweta Sehrawat – ₹50 lakh
Gujarat Giants
Ashleigh Gardner – ₹3.5 crore
Beth Mooney – ₹2.5 crore