WPL 2027 auction: 146 players; Including Sophia Dunkley, Sneh Rana in race for 27 slots

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 player auction is scheduled to take place in Kochi, Kerala, on October 28, with 146 cricketers set to compete for 27 available slots across the five franchises. The auction pool comprises 119 Indian players and 27 overseas cricketers, as teams look to strengthen their squads ahead of the upcoming season.

England batter Sophia Dunkley and Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux headline the list of registered players, having set their base prices at ₹50 lakh, the highest category in the auction. Several prominent Indian cricketers, including G Kamalini, Kiran Navgire and Sneh Rana, will also be available, alongside international players such as Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and Australian all-rounder Grace Harris.

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WPL 2027 auction: Players and base prices

Dunkley and Molineux are the only two players in the ₹50 lakh bracket. Four players, G Kamalini, Kiran Navgire, Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen, have registered at a base price of ₹40 lakh.

Meanwhile, 30 players have opted for the ₹30 lakh category, including Athapaththu, Harris and Sneh Rana. Four players are listed in the ₹20 lakh bracket, while the remaining 106 cricketers have set their base prices at ₹10 lakh.

The auction pool includes 22 capped and 97 uncapped Indian players. Among overseas cricketers, 14 are capped, and 13 are uncapped, including six players from Associate Nations. With only 20 slots available for Indian players and seven for overseas recruits, competition for contracts is expected to be intense.

WPL 2027 auction: Team-wise purse and available slots

The five franchises will enter the auction with different budgets and squad requirements. UP Warriorz have the largest remaining purse and the most slots to fill, while Mumbai Indians have no overseas slots available.

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What to expect from the WPL 2027 auction

The auction will provide franchises with an opportunity to address gaps in their squads while investing in emerging domestic talent. The presence of 97 uncapped Indian players also gives teams a sizeable pool of relatively less-established cricketers to consider.

With only seven overseas slots available across the five teams, international players will face considerable competition for contracts. At the same time, franchises will need to balance their remaining budgets against their requirements for batters, bowlers, wicketkeepers and all-rounders.

The WPL 2027 auction will take place on October 28 in Kochi, Kerala, with the final squads expected to reflect each franchise's strategy, available purse and priorities for the upcoming season.