The Women’s Premier League was supposed to be the one corner of cricket where logic prevailed. Keep your match-winners, trim the excess, and walk into the auction with confidence. Instead, WPL 2026’s retention list looks like five franchises collectively decided, Let’s shake the table.
Seventeen players retained. Dozens released. And not just fringe names, global captains, World Cup heroes, and the kind of all-rounders you’d normally wrap in bubble wrap before letting them near an auction pool.
The Mumbai Indians can be compared in how they retained Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur (like a vault at Fort Knox), yet chose to cut loose their heartbeat for two championships, Amelia Kerr. The Delhi Capitals held onto Jemimah, Shafali, Sutherland, and Kapp while releasing Meg Lanning (the same captain who has led her team into each of the last three championship games). The UP Warriorz were able to hold onto only one player. The Gujarat Giants were able to dump their batting anchor. In comparison, the RCB was the only franchise that displayed some level of sanity, acting like the rational parent.
If WPL 2026 needed drama, the retentions have delivered. If it needed clarity? Well, cue the chaos.
Leadership Cuts That Defy Cricket Logic
The biggest trend from the retentions isn’t youth vs experience or Indian vs overseas, it’s the ruthless severing of leadership figures. Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma captained their sides in 2025. Both are now unemployed in WPL terms. Deepti just delivered a Player of the Tournament performance in India’s maiden World Cup triumph, 215 runs, 22 wickets, and consistency that would make an accountant emotional.
But UP Warriorz sank to the bottom in 2025, and franchises often blame captains for structure-wide failures. Releasing Deepti signals a reset not of personnel, but philosophy. And with an RTM card still available, UP hasn’t shut the door; they’ve simply made her walk through the auction chaos first.
When Form Isn’t Enough: Wolvaardt’s Cold Goodbye
There’s being in form, and then there’s Laura Wolvaardt in the 2025 World Cup, 571 runs, tournament top-scorer, and a masterclass in textbook elegance meeting modern tempo. Yet Gujarat Giants, a team constantly craving batting solidity, released her.
It’s a move that smells of tactical recalibration. With only Gardner and Mooney retained, GG appears ready to rebuild around two experienced anchors and reshape their middle order through the auction. But letting Wolvaardt go feels like removing the one stable brick from an already shaky wall.
Her WPL numbers aren’t poor either, 342 runs in 13 games at 125 strike rate. She will be expensive on November 27.
The Puzzle of Releasing Prime All-Rounders
The biggest strategic eyebrow-raiser? The departures of Amelia Kerr and Sophie Ecclestone, two players who practically define T20 utility.
Kerr’s all-around metrics are elite:
- 40 wickets at 17.90
- 437 runs at 119 strike rate
- A wicket every 14 deliveries
These are not part-time contributions; they’re cornerstones of championship sides. But Mumbai’s purse (just ₹5.75 crore remaining) tells the real story. They aren’t releasing Kerr for cricketing reasons; they’re releasing her because the math refuses to cooperate.
Similarly, Ecclestone’s Warriorz exit is purely structural. When your team retains just one player, even global No. 1 spinners become auction bait. But with an RTM card in pocket, UP may simply be preparing for a calculated buy-back.
Why Releasing Household Names Is Becoming a WPL Trend
Across men’s and women’s leagues, there’s a growing pattern: franchises release star names before mega auctions not because the players are declining, but because retaining them limits flexibility. The WPL is entering its first major reshuffle cycle, and the retentions reflect a gamble to chase a balanced XI at auction rather than cling to big contracts that restrict movement. It’s brutal. It’s risky. But it’s also how dynasties are built or destroyed.
Key Takeaway
The WPL’s biggest releases aren’t mistakes; they’re strategic gambles in a league entering its first true power shift.
FAQs
Why did teams release so many big names before WPL 2026?
To increase auction flexibility and rebuild squad balances ahead of a mega reshuffle.
Will released stars like Deepti and Ecclestone return to their old teams?
Yes, if franchises use their Right-to-Match (RTM) cards successfully.
Which released player is expected to trigger the highest bidding war?
Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt look set for the most intense auction battles.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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