Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland Withdraw from WPL 2026; Replacements Announced
Withdrawal of Key Players from WPL 2026
Star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry and her compatriot Annabel Sutherland have opted out of the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 season due to personal matters, as confirmed by a media advisory from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Perry, who was retained by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prior to the WPL 2026 auction, will be replaced by Sayali Satghare, who joins the team at her reserve price of ₹30 lakh.
The WPL 2026 is set to commence on January 9, with RCB taking on the Mumbai Indians in the opening match. Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals (DC) have signed Australian spinner Alana King as Sutherland's replacement. King, who played for the UP Warriorz last season, will join DC at a reserve price of ₹60 lakh.
According to the BCCI announcement, "Australian all-rounders Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Annabel Sutherland (Delhi Capitals) have withdrawn from the upcoming edition of the league due to personal reasons. RCB have named Sayali Satghare as a replacement for Perry. Satghare will join RCB at her reserve price of ₹30 lakh."
The release further states, "DC have named Alana King as a replacement for Sutherland. The Australian leg-spinner, who represented UP Warriorz in the previous season, has featured in 27 T20Is and picked up 27 wickets. King will join DC at a reserve price of ₹60 lakh."
Tara Norris Unavailable for UP Warriorz
Additionally, United States pacer Tara Norris will miss the WPL 2026 season as she has been selected for the USA national team for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to take place from January 18 next year. In her absence, UP Warriorz have signed Australia's Charli Knott as her replacement.
The BCCI release noted, "Left-arm medium pacer Tara Norris has been selected for the USA national team for the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to be held in Nepal from January 18 to February 1, 2026. As a result, she will be unavailable for the Women's Premier League 2026, which begins on January 9. UP Warriorz have named uncapped Australian all-rounder Charli Knott as her replacement. Knott has been signed at a reserve price of ₹10 lakh."