Chamari Athapaththu went unsold in Kochi, and UP Warriorz paid ₹1.1 crore to beat RCB to Sophie Molineux
Sophie Molineux was the only crore signing at the WPL 2027 auction, and Kiran Navgire’s ₹75 lakh move to Delhi Capitals was the top price for an Indian.
Oct 28, 2026
UP Warriorz came to Kochi with the biggest purse and the most gaps to fill, and they spent the first serious money of the WPL 2027 auction on Sophie Molineux. The Australia captain went for ₹1.10 crore, more than double her ₹50 lakh base price, after Royal Challengers Bengaluru had chased her to ₹1.05 crore.
Nobody else got near a crore. There were 146 names on the list and only 27 places on offer, and plenty of players who have been regulars in the league left the Grand Hyatt without a team.
RCB pushed, the Warriorz did not blink
The Warriorz opened the bidding and RCB came straight back at them. Inside a minute the price was at ₹95 lakh. The Warriorz went to ₹1 crore, RCB to ₹1.05 crore, and when the Warriorz said ₹1.10 crore, RCB put their paddle down.
You can see why RCB wanted her back. Molineux was part of the side that won the 2024 title, and she missed the 2026 season through injury. Kshemal Waingankar of the Warriorz said afterwards they were going to get her “at any cost”, and the plan is to pair her left-arm spin with Sophie Ecclestone’s.
That leaves the Warriorz with a selection puzzle. Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield are already there, and they also bought back Grace Harris for her ₹30 lakh base price after RCB, the 2026 champions, let her go. Sneh Rana joined them at ₹30 lakh as well, and said she was looking forward to playing under Lanning.
Navgire the dearest Indian
Kiran Navgire went to Delhi Capitals for ₹75 lakh, nearly double her ₹40 lakh base. No Indian player went for more.
G Kamalini, the young wicketkeeper-batter Mumbai Indians released, went to Gujarat Giants for her ₹40 lakh base price with no rival bid. Giants coach Michael Klinger admitted they got her cheaper than they expected, and said they saw her as the best batter in the pool. The Giants also took Orla Prendergast for ₹30 lakh, the first Ireland player ever sold at a WPL auction.
RCB were quiet for most of the evening. They eventually bought Jess Jonassen at her ₹40 lakh base, even though the Australian is injured and missing the WBBL, and later added Chloe Tryon and Tejal Hasabnis for ₹30 lakh each. For the champions it was an evening of small moves after the one big one got away.
Athapaththu and Dunkley left out
Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka’s captain, drew no bids at ₹30 lakh. Sophia Dunkley, who shared the top base price of ₹50 lakh with Molineux, went unsold too, and so did three India internationals in Titas Sadhu, Saika Ishaque and wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia.
Asha Sobhana did find a team in the end, though not on last year’s terms. The Warriorz paid ₹1.1 crore for the leg-spinner at the 2026 auction and released her ahead of this one. She went unsold in the first round, and then they bought her back for ₹30 lakh.
The signing that will be talked about longest came late on. Delhi picked up Karnataka allrounder Uma Kashvi for ₹10 lakh, and at 15 she is the youngest player ever bought at a WPL auction.
The fifth WPL season starts in January 2027.