Eman 
ZeeaK 
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) Mega Auction 2025 commenced with frenetic bidding, culminating in India all-rounder Deepti Sharma emerging as the highest-paid athlete of the marquee round. She was retained by UP Warriorz (UPW) using their Right to Match () card for a staggering INR 3.2 crore after Delhi Capitals initiated the bidding.
The second biggest purchase was swiftly claimed by Mumbai Indians (MI), who secured the services of star New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for a massive INR 3 crore, consuming more than half of their total available purse.
UP Warriorz: The Architects of the Market
UP Warriorz entered the auction with the largest purse and strategically controlled much of the early action.
- RTM Dominance: UPW utilized their RTM cards aggressively, notably bringing back not only Deepti Sharma but also England spinner Sophie Ecclestone after Delhi Capitals attempted to steal her for just INR 85 lakh. They used a third RTM later to retain Kiran Navgire for INR 60 lakh and their final RTM for fast bowler Kranti Gaud (INR 50 lakh).
- Star Signings: They also successfully contested a long bidding war with Delhi to sign Australian veteran Meg Lanning for INR 1.9 crore. Later, they bolstered their Indian talent by signing Harleen Deol (INR 50 lakh) and secured spin quality by adding Asha Sobhana for INR 1.1 crore.
Other Franchises: High-Value Acquisitions
Other franchises focused on securing their desired international and domestic talent:
- Mumbai Indians: Aside from the massive investment in Amelia Kerr, MI successfully retained veteran pacer Shabnim Ismail for INR 60 lakh after a brief contest with RCB.
- Gujarat Giants (GG): GG was busy, winning a three-way contest to sign experienced all-rounder Sophie Devine for INR 2 crore. They also added Indian pacer Renuka Singh for INR 60 lakh and used an RTM to retain Bharti Fulmali for INR 70 lakh. They later added fast bowler Titas Sadhu for INR 30 lakh.
- Delhi Capitals (DC): DC made strategic signings, picking up Laura Wolvaardt for INR 1.1 crore and then splashing out INR 1.3 crore each for the signing of Sree Charani and West Indies all-rounder Chinelle Henry. DC also added wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee for INR 30 lakh.
- RCB: Royal Challengers Bangalore added all-rounder Nadine de Klerk (INR 65 lakh) and two Indian players, Radha Yadav (INR 65 lakh) and used their RTM for Linsey Smith (INR 30 lakh).
Surprises and Snubs
The marquee round saw the biggest shock of the day when Australian captain Alyssa Healy, listed at a base price of INR 50 lakh, received no bids and went unsold. Similarly, several prominent international bowlers, including Darcie Brown, Alana King, and Lauren Cheatle, failed to find takers, though many are expected to return in the accelerated rounds. Among wicketkeepers, Amy Jones and Uma Chetry were also unsold.
Image Credits : CricBuzz
About the Author
