NEW DELHI: UP Warriorz made some of the most decisive and headline-worthy moves at the WPL 2026 mega auction on Thursday, with India all-rounder Deepti Sharma leading their list of marquee signings. As expected, Deepti attracted intense bidding before the franchise used their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain her for a massive Rs 3.20 crore, making her one of the most expensive players of the day. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Deepti enjoyed a sensational 2025 ODI World Cup campaign, earning the Player of the Tournament award for her outstanding all-round performance. She played a pivotal role in India’s title triumph, scoring 215 runs and claiming 22 wickets, showcasing her dominance with both bat and ball.The Warriorz also made another significant splash by signing Australian great Meg Lanning for Rs 1.90 crore following a heated bidding contest with Delhi Capitals.
Lanning, who guided DC to three consecutive finals, will now bring her leadership experience and batting depth to the UP setup.The franchise continued its aggressive strategy, using a second RTM card to bring back world No.1 T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone for Rs 85 lakh, reinforcing their spin arsenal. Another RTM was used to retain India pace talent Kranti Gaud for Rs 50 lakh.UP Warriorz then added promising and experienced names to strengthen their squad balance. Rising Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield was snapped up for Rs 1.20 crore, while experienced campaigner Shikha Pandey joined the group for a sizeable Rs 2.40 crore. The franchise also secured South African all-rounder Chloe Tryon for Rs 30 lakh and impactful leg-spinner Asha Sobhana for Rs 1.10 crore.Interestingly, Australia captain Alyssa Healy, one of the biggest names in women’s cricket, surprisingly went unsold in the opening round of bidding.
WPL 2026 UP Warriorz Women Full Squad
Shweta Sehrawat (Rs 50 lakh), Deepti Sharma (RTM Rs 3.2 crore), Sophie Ecclestone (RTM Rs 85 lakh), Meg Lanning (Rs 1.9 crore), Phoebe Litchfield (Rs 1.2 crore), Kiran Navgire (RTM Rs 60 lakh), Harleen Deol (Rs 50 lakh), Kranti Goud (RTM Rs 50 lakh), Asha Sobhana (Rs 1.1 crore), Deandra Dottin (Rs 80 lakh), Shikha Pandey (Rs 2.4 crore), Shipra Giri (Rs 10 lakh), Simran Shaikh (Rs 10 lakh), Chloe Tryon (Rs 30 lakh), Suman Meena (Rs 10 lakh).
