Top 5 overpriced players at the WPL 2026 Auction ft. Sophie Devine

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction took place on Thursday, November 27. A total of 67 players were sold, including 23 overseas players. The total budget spent by all teams combined at the WPL 2026 auction was ₹40.8 crore.

Several Indian and overseas players attracted top bids and also initiated bidding wars among the franchises. Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) used all their funds and ended with 16 players, including 10 Indians and six overseas picks. Delhi Capitals (DC) also used up all of their funds and ended with 16 players, including 10 Indians and six overseas. Gujarat Giants (GG) were left with ₹15 lakh, ending with 18 players, including 12 Indians and six overseas. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) used up all their funds, ending with 16 players while UP Warriorz (UPW) ended with ₹15 lakh left and 18 players.

On that note, let us take a look at the top five overpriced players at the WPL 2026 auction.

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#5 Chinelle Henry - ₹1.3 crore

Delhi Capitals (DC) acquired West Indies star Chinelle Henry for ₹1.3 crore. Chinelle impressed last season in the WPL while playing for UPW. She scored 163 runs in seven matches at an average of 27.16 and a strike-rate of 196.38.

However, in the ongoing Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), Chinelle has scored just 92 runs from six matches at an average of 15.33 and a strike-rate of 131.42. Moreover, DC also acquired South African opener Lizelle Lee at the auction. Lee brings the experience of having played 82 T20Is and 100 ODIs. For Lee to open the batting alongside Shafali Verma, Chinelle Henry at ₹1.3 crore is too expensive for a backup opener.

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#4 Meg Lanning - ₹1.9 crore

UP Warriorz (UPW) brought in the veteran Australian top-order batter Meg Lanning for ₹1.9 crore at the auction. Lanning has been in solid form, no doubt, having scored 327 runs from six games in the ongoing WBBL at an average of 65.40 and a strike-rate of 154.24 with a century and two half-centuries.

However, her numbers in the WPL last season may not justify a price tag of close to ₹2 crore. She scored 276 runs from nine matches at an average of 34.50 and a strike-rate of 118.96. Given Lanning is 33, it may not be a long-term buy and tied up their purse to an extent to look for more versatile options.

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#3 Pooja Vastrakar - ₹85 Lakh

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) acquired Indian pace bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar for ₹85 lakh at the WPL 2026 auction. While Pooja comes as a quality addition, she has been out of action due to injury, having last played international cricket in 2024.

She also missed the previous WPL season. Moreover, she has an average record in the league. In 16 matches, she has scored just 126 runs in 11 innings at a strike-rate of 116.66 and has bagged just seven wickets with the ball.

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#2 Amelia Kerr - ₹3 crore

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr was acquired by the Mumbai Indians (MI) for a huge sum of ₹3 crore. While Kerr was expected to be among the most sought-after players, MI might just have faltered with their plans to get a backup all-rounder for Hayley Matthews, who is injured at the moment.

Amelia impressed with the ball for MI in the previous WPL, picking 18 wickets from 10 games. However, she scored just 73 runs in eight innings with the bat. Moreover, she was not at her best in the recently concluded World Cup 2025 as well, bagging just seven wickets in as many games and scoring 137 runs in five innings at an average of 27.40.

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#1 Sophie Devine - ₹2 crore

Veteran New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine was acquired by the Gujarat Giants (GG) for ₹2 crore. Devine scored 289 runs in five innings at the World Cup 2025 at an average of 57.80 with a hundred and two half-centuries and bagged four wickets.

However, she was not part of the WPL last year. In the 2023-24 season, she scored just 136 runs in 10 matches at an average of 15.11 and a strike-rate of 125.92. Overall, with the ball, she has picked up just nine wickets in 18 matches in the league. While Devine also brings immense experience, at 36, she may not have been worth a ₹2 crore bid.