5 surprise retentions by teams ahead of WPL 2026 Auction ft. Hayley Matthews

The five teams have announced their retentions ahead of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 Auction. Player retentions were made on Thursday, November 6. There were some big retentions on expected lines. However, there were some surprising names as well.

Notably, the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Richa Ghosh were among the star Indian retentions for WPL 2-2026. Among the overseas players, the big names retained were Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Elyse Perry, Marizanne Kapp, and Beth Mooney.

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) used up all their slots with maximum retentions of five players each. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made four retentions. Gujarat Giants (GG) retained two players while UP Warriorz made just one retention.

On that note, here are five surprising names retained by teams ahead of the WPL 2026 Auction.

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#5 Shweta Sehrawat

UP Warriorz' sole retention was all-rounder Shweta Sehrawat for ₹50 Lakhs. The right-handed batter did not have an impressive performance as such in WPL 2025. She scored 119 runs from seven innings at an average of 17 and a strike-rate of 113.33.

The 21-year-old has played three seasons for the UP Warriorz. In 23 matches, she has 261 runs at an average of 13.73 and a strike-rate of 103.98. While the team released all their players, eyeing a possible overhaul, Shweta's retention, despite no standout performances, came as a surprising move.

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#4 Gunalan Kamalini

Mumbai Indians retained young batter Gunalan Kamalini for ₹50 Lakhs. The 17-year-old played her maiden WPL last season. She got decent opportunities but could not deliver any exceptional performance.

Kamalini scored just 32 runs from five innings at an average of 10.66 and a strike-rate of 128. The defending champions could probably have gotten her back for an even lesser price at the auction. Her retention also cost them an RTM.

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#3 Niki Prasad

Delhi Capitals retained batter Niki Prasad for ₹50 lakhs. With four solid retentions in Jemimah, Shafali, Kapp, and Annabel Sutherland, a fifth retention in Niki Prasad may not have been required.

The 20-year-old played eight matches in WPL 2025. She got an opportunity to bat in three innings and scored 78 runs at an average of 39 and a strike-rate of 118.18. Therefore, Niki Prasad did not have a significant season as such.

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#2 Beth Mooney

Gujarat Giants retained Australian great Beth Mooney for a massive sum of ₹2.5 crores. Although a big name, Mooney did not have a standout season in WPL 2025. She scored 237 runs from nine innings but had an average of 29.62 and a strike-rate of 128.10.

Even at the recently concluded Women's World Cup 2025, Mooney scored 211 runs from six innings at an average of 35.16 and a strike-rate of 89.40. It could prove to be major damage to their purse by retaining her for a high price, given her recent performances.

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#1 Hayley Matthews

Star all-rounder Hayley Mathews put in key performances for the Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026. She scored 307 runs from 10 innings at an average of 30.70 and a strike-rate of 122.80 with three half-centuries.

Moreover, she bagged 18 wickets with the ball at an average of 17.05 and an economy of 8.22. However, Matthews recently underwent shoulder surgery. She was ruled out of the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). With injury concerns and a possible question mark on her availability, retaining her for ₹1.75 crores came as a surprise.