New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Veteran India seamer Shikha Pandey became one of the top three buys in the 2026 WPL mega auction, while Yastika Bhatia and Pratika Rawal found teams despite injury concerns on Thursday. UP Warriorz shelled out INR 2.4 crore for buying Shikha, as in all 67 players were sold – 23 of which were overseas players – for INR 40.8 crore.
The accelerated round began with Deandra Dottin going to UPW for INR 80 lakh after a brief tussle with RCB. Kashvee Gautam was brought back by GG via RTM for INR 65 lakh, after thwarting bids from MI and UPW.
Shikha, the veteran Indian fast bowler, sparked a fierce bidding war between RCB and UPW driving the price past INR 2 crore. UPW eventually outlasted RCB to get her services for INR 2.4 crore.
ODI World Cup winner, seam-bowling all-rounder Arundhati Reddy drew bids from DC, RCB and GG before the contest settled in Bengaluru’s favour at INR 75 lakh. At RCB, Arundhati will reunite with close friends Smriti Mandhana and Radha Yadav.
MI, meanwhile, reclaimed Sajana Sajeevan after a bidding tussle with UP Warriorz for INR 75 lakh. India allrounder Pooja Vastrakar, currently in rehab after missing WPL 2025 with a shoulder injury, still attracted bids from RCB and UPW before the former secured her for INR 85 lakh.
Uncapped wicketkeeper Rahila Firdous went to MI for INR 10 lakh, while India all-rounder Kanika Ahuja was picked by GG for INR 30 lakh. Left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar rejoined GG for INR 45 lakh after dodging DC. Australia leg spinner Georgia Wareham was snapped up by GG for INR 1 crore after edging RCB.
Uncapped Indian allrounder Anushka Sharma went to GG for INR 45 lakh, with a wry smile present on RCB think tank table. Australian all-rounder Nicola Carey was picked by MI for INR 30 lakh. After that, all five teams were asked to nominate 10 names each as the auction moved into the second accelerated phase after a short break.
The second round saw S Meghana, Amy Jones and Darcie Brown go unsold. But Grace Harris found takers with RCB and UPW, her previous team, in the contest before the former took her for INR 75 lakh.
Wicketkeeper Shipra Giri drew interest from UPW, who signed her for INR 10 lakh, while Mamatha Madiwala was added to DC’s roster at the same price. Pacer Happy Kumari was snapped up by GG at her base price of INR 10 lakh, while Australia’s Kim Garth was picked by the same team for INR 50 lakh.
There was a tussle between UPW and GG for India wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia, before the latter picked her for INR 50 lakh. UPW, meanwhile, picked hard-hitting batter Simran Shaikh for INR 10 lakh, while MI took Poonam Khemnar for the same amount and wicketkeeper Shivani Singh was roped in by GG for the very same price.
USA pacer Tara Norris, who picked a five-for in WPL 2023, was picked by UPW for INR 10 lakh, while the franchise also took South Africa all-rounder Chole Tryon for INR 30 lakh. Uncapped Australia pacer Lucy Hamilton was picked by DC for INR 10 lakh, while all-rounder Triveni Vasistha was taken by MI for INR 20 lakh and Suman Meena was roped in by UPW for INR 10 lakh.
RCB roped in off-spin all-rounder Gautami Naik for INR 10 lakh, while MI took seam-bowling all-rounder Nalla Reddy for the same amount. In the final accelerated round, India left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque was picked by MI for INR 30 lakh, while UPW took two-time U19 World Cup winner G Trisha for INR 10 lakh.
Uncapped wicketkeeper Pratyusha Kumar was signed by RCB for INR 10 lakh, while MI added uncapped Australian bowler Milly Illingworth at the same price. UPW secured Pratika Rawal for INR 50 lakh, despite fitness concerns due to ankle injury recovery. GG picked up England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge for INR 50 lakh and got India spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad at her base price of INR 40 lakh.
DC added India allrounder Minnu Mani for INR 40 lakh, while RCB strengthened their middle order with former GG batter Dayalan Hemalatha for INR 30 lakh. GG signing Delhi batter Ayushi Soni for INR 30 lakh brought the curtains down on the WPL 2026 mega auction.
–IANS
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