Top 5 steals of WPL 2026 Auction ft. Laura Wolvaardt

The Women's Premier League (WPL 2026) auction was held in Delhi on Thursday, November 27. A total of 67 players were sold at the first-ever mega auction of the T20 tournament.

Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma emerged as the costliest pick at the event. UP Warriorz re-signed the 28-year-old at ₹3.20 crore by using the Right-To-Match option.

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr was the second-most expensive buy, with Mumbai Indians (MI) roping in for ₹3 crore, while Indian pacer Shikha Pandey got a ₹2.40 crore deal from UP Warriorz.

Apart from the costly buys, there were also some smart picks that generated a lot of buzz among the fans. Here, we take a look at the top five steals of the WPL 2026 auction:

---

#5 Harleen Deol (UP Warriorz)

The Uttar Pradesh-based side signed Indian batter Harleen Deol at her base price of ₹50 lakh. She was part of the Gujarat Giants (GG) side in the last three seasons.

The right-handed batter is currently the third-highest run-scorer for GG in the league's history, amassing 482 runs across 20 matches at an average of 30.12 and a strike rate of 115.58.

Her inclusion will bolster UPW's batting lineup. Getting an attacking batter and a brilliant fielder like Harleen at ₹50 lakh is a fantastic deal for the franchise.

---

#4 Shabnim Ismail (Mumbai Indians)

Former South Africa bowler Shabnim Ismail will continue representing MI in the WPL. The defending champions re-signed the pacer at ₹60 lakh, which sounds like a great deal for a proven campaigner.

Ismail remains South Africa's leading wicket-taker in T20Is. She has 123 wickets to her name from 112 innings at an economy rate of 5.77. She claimed nine wickets from 10 innings with an economy rate of 6.77 for MI in WPL 2025.

The veteran seamer bowled a stunning spell in the WPL 2025 final against Delhi Capitals (DC). She claimed the crucial wicket of swashbuckling opener Shafali Verma and conceded just 15 runs from her four overs.

---

#3 Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz)

UP Warriorz used the RTM option to sign England's star left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone at ₹85 lakh. She has a wonderful WPL record and is the third-highest wicket-taker in the league, with 36 scalps from 29 innings at an economy rate of 6.68.

Ecclestone looked in great form during the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup as well. She finished with 16 wickets across seven outings. While UPW released the proven campaigner ahead of the auction, they succeeded in getting her back, and that too for a steal deal.

---

#2 Nadine de Klerk (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) acquired the services of South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk for ₹65 lakh at the mega auction. She performed admirably with both bat and ball at the Women's ODI World Cup 2025.

The talented player scored 208 runs from seven innings at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 131.64. With the ball, the pacer took nine wickets in seven games with an economy rate of 5.30. She impressed many with her six-hitting skills in the tournament, slamming 10 maximums.

With form by her side, she will be a useful addition to RCB's star-studded lineup. Notably, this will be her second stint with the franchise. She previously played for Bengaluru in 2024 before moving to MI in 2025.

---

#1 Laura Wolvaardt (Delhi Capitals)

South African star Laura Wolvaardt was expected to be in great demand at the WPL 2026 auction. Under her captaincy, South Africa finished as the runners-up of the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, losing to India in the final.

She was the leading run-scorer at the showpiece event, chalking up 571 runs from nine innings. The opener also has an impressive record in WPL. She has scored 342 runs from 13 games at a strike rate of 125.74 in the competition.

DC signed the ace batter at ₹1.10 crore. The side were in search of a new overseas opener after releasing former captain Meg Lanning, and Wolvaardt would be the perfect fit for the role