Sophie Molineux Becomes Top Bidder at WPL 2027 Auction in Kochi

The WPL 2027 auction in Kochi saw Australia captain Sophie Molineux emerge as the highest bid at Rs 1.1 crore, while Indian player Kiran Navgire followed closely. Defending champions RCB made strategic acquisitions, and UP Warriorz filled all their slots. Notable signings included young talents and seasoned players, with MI focusing on uncapped players. The auction showcased the growing competitiveness of women's cricket, highlighting the strategic moves of various franchises. Read on for a comprehensive breakdown of player acquisitions and insights from team coaches.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 29, 2026, 00:06 IST

WPL 2027 Auction Highlights

Kochi (Keralam) [India], October 28: At the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction held in Kochi, Australia’s captain Sophie Molineux was the standout player, fetching a remarkable Rs 1.1 crore (around USD 120,000) as she was acquired by UP Warriorz (UPW). Indian batter Kiran Navgire emerged as the highest-paid Indian player, joining Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 75 lakh on Wednesday.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made their first move in the accelerated round after remaining inactive during the initial ten sets, signing Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen for her base price of Rs 40 lakh. Additionally, RCB secured South African all-rounder Chloe Tryon for Rs 30 lakh. Grace Harris, who was released by RCB prior to the auction, returned to UP Warriorz for Rs 30 lakh, as reported by Cricinfo.

Out of the 27 available slots across five franchises at the auction's start, 25 were filled. Both RCB and DC were left with one vacant slot each. UP Warriorz, entering the auction with eight slots to fill after releasing nine players and a purse of Rs 3.75 crore, successfully signed the highest number of players, filling all their slots.

G Kamalini, who played for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the previous two seasons after being acquired for Rs 1.60 crore, was picked up by Gujarat Giants (GG) for her base price of Rs 40 lakh. GG also signed Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast for Rs 30 lakh, marking her debut in the WPL, along with 16-year-old uncapped all-rounder Samaira Raghav for Rs 10 lakh.

Fifteen-year-old Karnataka all-rounder Uma Kashvi made history as the youngest player sold at a WPL auction when Delhi Capitals secured her for Rs 10 lakh.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, with a base price of Rs 30 lakh, and England batter Sophia Dunkley, listed at Rs 50 lakh, went unsold.

MI, who had the smallest purse of Rs 90 lakh going into the auction, acquired six uncapped players: Shweta Sehrawat, Akshita Bhagat, Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, and Sanika Chalke. Notably, twelve of the 25 players sold during this auction were uncapped Indians.

Luke Williams, MI’s head coach, commented, “With the retentions, we had a solid core group that we were able to retain. Today was about adding to the group, whether that’s in the starting XI or providing different options and coverage through the tournament.”

UPW’s director of cricket, Kshemal Waingankar, expressed confidence in Molineux and Harris, stating, “We were determined to get Molineux at any cost. This gives us a strong position with Sophie and Grace to adjust our combinations effectively.”

UP Warriorz faced competition from Molineux’s former team, RCB, before securing her. RCB withdrew after the bid reached Rs 1.05 crore, despite having Rs 1.15 crore left in their budget. Molineux, who led Australia to their seventh T20 World Cup title in July, is also the team's leading wicket-taker this year.

UP Warriorz further strengthened their squad by signing India all-rounder Sneh Rana and wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma at their base prices of Rs 30 lakh each. Rana will represent her fourth franchise in the WPL, having previously played for RCB, GG, and DC.

The franchise also acquired Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce for Rs 10 lakh, while her teammate Kirstie Gordon was picked up by Delhi Capitals for the same amount.

Players acquired during the WPL 2027 Auction include:

Delhi Capitals: Kiran Navgire (Rs 75 lakh), Uma Kashvi (Rs 10 lakh), Kirstie Gordon (Rs 10 lakh), Nazma Khan (Rs 10 lakh)

Gujarat Giants: G Kamalini (Rs 40 lakh), Orla Prendergast (Rs 30 lakh), Samaira Raghav (Rs 10 lakh)

Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat (Rs 10 lakh), Latika Inamdar (Rs 10 lakh), Bharti Rawal (Rs 10 lakh), Sanika Chalke (Rs 10 lakh), Shweta Sehrawat (Rs 20 lakh), Akshita Bhagat (Rs 10 lakh)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Jess Jonassen (Rs 40 lakh), Tejal Hasabnis (Rs 30 lakh), Vrinda Dinesh (Rs 10 lakh), Chloe Tryon (Rs 30 lakh)

UP Warriorz: Sophie Molineux (Rs 1.10 crore), Sneh Rana (Rs 30 lakh), Grace Harris (Rs 30 lakh), Sushma Verma (Rs 30 lakh), Kathryn Bryce (Rs 10 lakh), Manali Dakshini (Rs 10 lakh), Sahana Pawar (Rs 10 lakh), S Asha (Rs 30 lakh).