Deepti Sharma emerged as one of the biggest winners at the WPL 2026 mega auction, returning to the UP Warriorz for INR 3.20 crore after the team used their Right to Match option. Listed in the first set of players, she became the auction’s first buy to cross the INR 3-crore mark. Although the Warriorz had released Deepti earlier, her stellar ODI World Cup campaign, where she claimed the Player of the Tournament award, made her the player to watch out for.
Delhi Capitals began the bidding for the Indian all-rounder at INR 50 lakh, with no other team competing. UP Warriorz used their Right to Match after DC raised their offer to INR 3.2 crore, bringing Deepti back. The deal made her the joint second most expensive player in WPL history with Ashleigh Gardner, while Smriti Mandhana remains the highest at INR 3.4 crore for RCB.
Deepti was earlier part of the Warriorz setup on a contract worth INR 2.6 crore, so the team ultimately paid an extra INR 60 lakh to bring her back after letting her go. Her consistency in the league has been remarkable, amassing 507 runs and 27 wickets in 25 games, a clear reflection of her status as a true match-winning all-rounder.
She recently helped her team lift the World Cup and stood out as the tournament’s best player. Scoring 215 runs with three half-centuries and claiming 22 wickets, she was rightly named Player of the Tournament.
In the final, she stepped up at the crucial moment. Her 58 guided India to 298/7, and her outstanding bowling performance of 5/39 turned the game in India’s favour. South Africa finished at 246, giving India a 52-run win and showcasing Deepti’s game-changing impact.
Deepti’s abilities with both bat and ball make her a match-winner for any side. At the same time, UP Warriorz used their RTM option to re-sign all-rounder Sophie Ecclestone for INR 85 lakh, once again outsmarting Delhi Capitals and slightly unsettling their auction strategy. Deepti Sharma wasn’t the only marquee player to command a huge sum. Amelia Kerr fetched Rs 3 crore, Meg Lanning Rs 1.90 crore, Sophie Devine Rs 2 crore, and Laura Wolvaardt Rs 1.10 crore, all crossing the 1 crore mark. Surprisingly, Alyssa Healy, Australia’s captain, was the only marquee player who went unsold.
WPL Auction 2026: All Marquee Player Deals
| Player | Status/Team | Price (INR) |
| Alyssa Healy | Unsold | – |
| Sophie Devine | Gujarat Giants | 2 crore |
| Deepti Sharma | UP Warriorz (RTM) | 3.20 crore |
| Renuka Thakur | Gujarat Giants | 60 lakh |
| Amelia Kerr | Mumbai Indians | 3 crore |
| Sophie Ecclestone | UP Warriorz | 85 lakh |
| Meg Lanning | UP Warriorz | 1.90 crore |
| Laura Wolvaardt | Delhi Capitals | 1.10 crore |