The inaugural Women’s Andhra Premier League (WAPL) Season 1 player auction took place on August 25, 2026, at the Novotel Hotel in Vijayawada. Organised by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), the auction marked a step for women’s cricket in Andhra Pradesh. Former Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj is the brand ambassador. Four franchises took part, with 191 registered domestic cricketers in the player pool.
Each franchise had a squad purse of ₹15 lakh to build its team. Franchises were allowed to buy a maximum of 18 to 20 players from the 191-player pool. The four teams are Godavari Golden Eagles, Vizag Firebirds, Rayalaseema Xen Stars and Amaravati E Champions. Godavari Golden Eagles are owned by ORA Motors Pvt. Ltd., Vizag Firebirds by Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Rayalaseema Xen Stars by Garrison Constructions and Amaravati E Champions by NSR Industries.
The four franchises were bought by corporate bidders at prices ranging from ₹61 lakh to ₹89 lakh, against a ₹35 lakh base price. With the player purse fixed at ₹15 lakh for each team, the franchises had to plan their spending during the auction. The 191 registered domestic cricketers gave the teams a pool from which to select players. The auction gave the franchises an opportunity to identify players for the opening season and complete their squads together.
Henrietta Flavia Pereira was the highest-paid player at the inaugural auction. Godavari Golden Eagles bought her for ₹4.30 lakh, making her the biggest purchase of the day. India international Anjali Sarvani was the second-highest buy after she was signed for ₹3.60 lakh. Her bidding was one of the key moments of the auction. Shabnam MS Shakil joined Amaravati E Champions for ₹1.30 lakh.
Gundupalli Udivatha was another major purchase for Godavari Golden Eagles, with the franchise paying ₹1.10 lakh. Rayalaseema Xen Stars bought K. Vasavi Akhila Pavani for ₹1.00 lakh and Kokkiligadda Dhathri for ₹1.00 lakh. These six players were among the highest-value purchases at the auction. The bids showed the importance teams placed on securing players they wanted while staying within their ₹15 lakh squad purse.
Avula Chinna Sireesha created the first piece of WAPL auction history by becoming the first player to go under the hammer. Rayalaseema Xen Stars bought her for ₹65,000. Vizag Firebirds then made an early move by signing Pushpalatha for ₹70,000. These sales were among the early highlights as the four franchises started building their squads from the available player pool.
The first season of the Women’s Andhra Premier League is scheduled from September 15 to September 26, 2026. All matches will be played under lights at the ACA Stadium in Mangalagiri. The tournament will bring the four newly formed teams together for the first WAPL season. The auction has now given the franchises the players they will take into the competition. The auction gave each franchise a chance to shape its squad for the opening season.
The four participating teams are Godavari Golden Eagles, Vizag Firebirds, Rayalaseema Xen Stars and Amaravati E Champions. Mithali Raj will be associated with the tournament as its brand ambassador. School students will get free entry to watch all the stadium matches live. The initiative will allow young sports enthusiasts to watch the women’s league at the venue.
With the auction completed, attention will now turn to the tournament in Mangalagiri. The inaugural season will run from September 15 to September 26, giving the four franchises their first chance to compete in the Women’s Andhra Premier League. The auction brought 191 registered domestic cricketers into the selection process, while the four teams worked with a ₹15 lakh purse each.
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