The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega-auction triggered significant movement across franchises, with several high-profile players changing teams as sides reshaped their squads for the new season. A mega auction and restricted retention forced teams to rethink combinations, prioritizing balance, role clarity, and matchups over familiarity. As a result, a number of marquee names are set to begin new chapters, bringing fresh dynamics and renewed intrigue to the league just days before the season gets underway. Below are eight standout transfers and how they could shape their new teams.
1. Meg Lanning: Delhi Capitals to UP Warriorz
Meg Lanning is one of the leading run-scorers in WPL history. Before her move to UP Warriorz, she amassed 952 runs in 27 matches for Delhi Capitals at an average of 39.67 and a strike rate of 127.10. She consistently stood among the top batters in the league and finished the 2025 season with 263 runs from 8 matches at an average of 37.57 and a strike rate of almost 118 including multiple half-centuries.
Lanning’s strike rate and ability to build long innings have made her one of Delhi’s most reliable performers, and she finished each of her first three WPL seasons among the tournament’s top run-getters. For UP Warriorz, the Australian legend brings both experience and stability at the top. After narrowly missing out on a title with Capitals for three years now, Lanning’s move is designed to give Warriorz the battering strength and veteran presence they’ve lacked in previous knockout games.
2. Laura Wolvaardt: Gujarat Giants to Delhi Capitals
South African opener Laura Wolvaardt garnered attention with Gujarat Giants by scoring consistently at the top of the order. While her 2025 WPL numbers weren’t among the very elite, she provided solidity in starts, typical of her international T20 approach, and maintained a strike rate around the competitive league average with well-timed innings. While Gujarat struggled for results, Wolvaardt regularly provided strong starts, including a 76 off 45 balls that stood out in an otherwise difficult season.
She was particularly effective against pace, scoring at a higher strike rate in the powerplay compared to league average, and showed an ability to bat long innings when wickets fell around her. Delhi Capitals see Wolvaardt as a structural addition. Her technique and composure complement a middle order filled with aggressive shot-makers, giving Delhi flexibility to adapt to different match situations rather than relying on early acceleration.
3. Sophie Devine: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Gujarat Giants
Sophie Devine’s WPL numbers don’t tell the full story of her impact. In 12 matches, she scored over 250 runs at a strike rate exceeding 140, including one of the most memorable innings in league history, a 99 off 36 balls, missing out on registering the first century in the competition. She also contributed with the ball, picking up wickets at key moments. Devine’s record against Gujarat Giants was particularly strong, with multiple high-impact knocks and an average above 40.
Internationally, her credentials are unquestioned, with 3,000+ T20I runs and over 100 wickets, making her one of the most complete all-rounders in the game. Gujarat Giants secured Devine’s services for INR 2 crore. She slots into the middle order as a game-changer, someone capable of flipping matches in 10-ball windows, an area where Gujarat have struggled in past seasons.
4. Shikha Pandey: Delhi Capitals to UP Warriorz
Shikha Pandey has been one of the most reliable Indian pacers in the WPL for Delhi Capitals. Across 27 matches, she has taken 30 wickets while maintaining an economy rate under 6.96, impressive given the batting-friendly conditions. In WPL 2025 alone, she picked up 11 wickets in 9 games, frequently bowling inside the powerplay.
Her standout performances include a 3/23 spell, showcasing her ability to combine control with wicket-taking, had come against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, one of the strongest batting units. UP Warriorz’s INR 2.4 crore investment reflects their need for structure. Pandey offers reliability, allowing more aggressive bowlers to attack without fear of leaking runs.
5. Renuka Singh Thakur: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Gujarat Giants
Renuka Singh Thakur’s value in the WPL has come largely through her effectiveness with the new ball. In WPL 2025, she took 10 wickets in 7 innings, with best figures of 3 for 23 against Delhi Capitals and a strike rate of around 16, regularly providing early breakthroughs for RCB.
Her ability to swing the ball and attack the stumps made her one of the more threatening Indian pacers in the competition. Gujarat Giants have targeted Renuka to strengthen their Indian bowling core. Her skill set allows them to strike early without depending heavily on overseas quicks, offering balance and flexibility in team selection across different conditions.
6. Phoebe Litchfield: Gujarat Giants to UP Warriorz
Phoebe Litchfield arrives at UP Warriorz with limited WPL output but a strong body of work at the international level that explains the investment. In 22 T20I innings, she has scored 440 runs at a strike rate of 140.12, numbers that underline her ability to score quickly without losing control. Those returns include impactful middle-order contributions rather than inflated totals at the top, reinforcing her reputation as a tempo-setter rather than a volume accumulator.
During her time with Gujarat Giants, opportunities were inconsistent, but she showed clear signs of her skill set when given time in the middle, where she handled pace and spin with maturity beyond her years. UP Warriorz are backing that international form translating more consistently at WPL level. Surrounded by senior batters, Litchfield fits as a flexible option — capable of accelerating against spin in the middle overs or finishing innings without reckless risk, a role the Warriorz have lacked clarity around in previous seasons.
7. Georgia Wareham: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Gujarat Giants
Georgia Wareham’s value to Royal Challengers Bengaluru went beyond her role as a strike spinner. The Australian leg-spinner was instrumental for RCB in their 2024 title run, where she maintained a strike rate of 163.23 with the bat while providing crucial breakthroughs. In WPL 2025, she picked up 12 wickets in 8 innings Her leg-spin allowed RCB to slow scoring without losing attacking intent, particularly against set batters.
Wareham also contributed crucial runs down the order, most notably with a 48 against Gujarat Giants, an innings that highlighted her ability to shift momentum late in the innings rather than simply close it out. That knock, played under pressure, reinforced her usefulness as a genuine all-round option rather than a specialist bowler. For Gujarat Giants, Wareham offers exactly that dual value, middle-overs wicket-taking combined with lower-order batting depth — giving the side greater flexibility in both team balance and in-game tactics.
The team changes at the WPL 2026 auction show how franchises are focusing on balance and proven performance. Each of these players arrives with a strong record, clear strengths, and a defined role within their new squads. Their auction prices reflect both what they have already achieved and what teams expect them to deliver. As the season unfolds, how quickly these players settle into new environments could play a major role in deciding which teams go the furthest in the tournament.
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