The upcoming auction for the women’s competition in The Hundred promises to be a landmark moment for the tournament as teams prepare to strengthen their squads ahead of the 2026 season. For the first time, the competition will shift from its original draft system to a full player auction similar to other franchise leagues, giving teams the freedom to bid for players directly. The change is part of the tournament’s evolution as it attracts more investment and global talent.
Interest in the auction has been enormous. Nearly 1,000 players from 18 countries registered for the 2026 auction, highlighting the tournament’s growing international appeal. The women’s auction will take place in London on March 11, with eight franchises assembling squads under an £880,000 salary cap. While several established international stars will headline the event, franchises will also be looking for young players capable of becoming the tournament’s next breakout stars.
Here are five emerging players who could draw attention during the auction.
Davina Perrin
The 19-year-old teenage batter Davina Perrin has already established herself as one of the most exciting young prospects in English cricket. The Wolverhampton-born right-hander first came to widespread attention during the knockout stage of The Hundred when she produced one of the most remarkable innings in the competition’s history. Playing for Northern Superchargers, Perrin smashed 101 off just 43 balls, reaching the century in only 42 deliveries, an innings that included 15 fours and five sixes and demonstrated her ability to dominate bowling attacks under pressure.
Perrin’s breakthrough season also saw her recognized with the Professional Cricketers’ Association Women’s Young Player of the Year award and earn a nomination for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. In 14 outings in The Hundred, she has accumulated 293 runs, striking at 129.07. With her aggressive top-order batting and fearless approach, Perrin is widely seen as a player who could thrive in high-intensity formats like The Hundred.
Chloe Ainsworth
20-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder Chloe Ainsworth has begun building a strong reputation across Australia’s domestic competitions. Representing Western Australia in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), she recently produced a breakthrough innings, smashing a maiden century — 110 runs, in a dramatic run chase that helped her side recover from 74 for 5 to post 276. The performance highlighted her ability to handle pressure and control an innings even in difficult situations.
Ainsworth has also gained valuable experience in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL); she has played 36 matches and has 40 wickets to her name. Primarily known for her pace and bounce with the new ball, the added batting capability significantly boosts her value in franchise tournaments. In a format like The Hundred, where versatility is critical, Ainsworth’s ability to contribute with both bat and ball could make her a highly attractive option.
Kashvee Gautam
The 22-year-old Indian seam-bowling all-rounder Kashvee Gautam has steadily emerged as one of the most promising young players in the country’s domestic circuit. She first grabbed national attention in the 2020 BCCI Women’s Under-19 One-Day Trophy when she produced a historic spell, taking 10 wickets in an innings against Arunachal Pradesh, including a hat-trick.
Her rapid rise through the domestic ranks has since translated into opportunities at the highest level. In 2026, Gautam was named in India’s squad for the ODI tour of Australia and replacement of Renuka Singh Thakur later on for the one-off test, underlining the selectors’ confidence in the young pacer’s ability to perform on bigger stages. During the 2026 WPL she played 9 matches and got 8 wickets.
She has also shown the ability to chip in with the bat when required. During India’s ODI tour of Australia, Gautam played a spirited knock of 43 off 44 balls against Australia, adding valuable late runs in the innings. Still early in her professional career, Gautam’s combination of new-ball swing, wicket-taking ability and lower-order hitting makes her an attractive prospect for franchise teams.
Richa Ghosh
The 22-year-old is among the Indian players in the auction pool; Richa Ghosh arguably brings the most established pedigree. The wicketkeeper-batter has developed into one of the most dangerous finishers in women’s T20 cricket thanks to her powerful hitting in the middle and death overs.
During the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Ghosh produced one of the tournament’s most memorable innings when she smashed 90 runs off 50 balls, striking 10 fours and six sixes for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women against Mumbai Indians Women. At just 22 years of age, she has already played 75 T20Is and scored 1150 runs at the strike rate of 143.92
Ghosh’s explosive batting combined with her wicketkeeping ability makes her a valuable dual-role player, and her experience in international cricket means she could be one of the most sought-after names among younger players in the auction.
Nandni Sharma
The 24-year-old young Indian pacer Nandni Sharma emerged as one of the breakout performers of the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL), delivering one of the most memorable bowling spells of the season for Delhi Capitals Women. In a high-scoring match against Gujarat Giants, the 24-year-old produced a sensational performance, finishing with 5 wickets for 33 runs in four overs. The spell not only gave her a maiden five-wicket haul but also placed her in an elite group of bowlers to take a hat-trick in the WPL. She finished as one of the leading wicket takers in the tournament.
Remarkably, Sharma also became the first uncapped player in WPL history to register a five-wicket haul, underlining how quickly she made an impact at franchise level. Before her WPL breakthrough, Sharma had already built a strong reputation in Indian domestic cricket. The Chandigarh-born pacer has represented Chandigarh Women and North Zone in domestic competitions and impressed in tournaments such as the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, where her ability to take wickets in crucial moments stood out.
Her strengths lie in hitting hard lengths, extracting bounce, and delivering under pressure, particularly in the closing stages of an innings. For franchises searching for emerging pace talent capable of delivering breakthroughs and controlling the latter stages of an innings, the young Indian seamer could prove to be a smart and potentially high-impact auction pick.
As the auction for The Hundred approaches, franchises will be eager to identify players capable of delivering match-winning performances in the condensed 100-ball format. For these five young players, the upcoming auction could represent the next major step in their careers — and potentially the moment they establish themselves as regular stars on the global franchise circuit.
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