The Women’s Premier League has locked in its squads for the road to WPL 2027. All five franchises confirmed their retained and released player lists on September 28, 2026, the official retention deadline, setting the stage for the WPL 2027 auction in Kochi on October 28. A total of 63 players — including 23 overseas stars — were retained across the five teams, while 26 players were released back into the auction pool. Twenty-seven slots, seven of them for overseas players, remain open for the auction.
With the fifth WPL season scheduled for January 14 to February 7, 2027, the retentions give the first real picture of how each franchise is shaping up. UP Warriorz enter the auction with the biggest remaining purse at ₹3.65 crore, while Gujarat Giants kept the most players (15) and have only three slots to fill. Here is the complete team-by-team breakdown of who stayed and who was let go.
Quick facts: WPL 2027 retention at a glance
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Retention deadline | September 28, 2026 |
| Players retained | 63 (including 23 overseas) |
| Players released | 26 |
| Auction slots available | 27 (7 overseas) |
| WPL 2027 auction | October 28, 2026 — Kochi |
| WPL 2027 season | January 14 – February 7, 2027 |
| Biggest remaining purse | UP Warriorz — ₹3.65 crore |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 13 retained, 4 released
Defending champions RCB opted for stability, holding on to 13 players from their title-winning squad. Captain Smriti Mandhana stays alongside vice-captain Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil, keeping the core that delivered the trophy intact.
The standout call was the release of Grace Harris, the Australian power-hitter who has been a match-winner for RCB. Linsey Smith, Gautami Naik and Dayalan Hemalatha were also let go. RCB will enter the Kochi auction with ₹1.15 crore and five slots to fill, including two overseas positions — so the franchise has real flexibility to add fresh firepower around its settled core.
Retained: Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyusha Kumar, Sayali Satghare
Released: Grace Harris, Linsey Smith, Gautami Naik, Dayalan Hemalatha
Mumbai Indians: 11 retained, 6 released
Mumbai Indians kept 11 players, preserving a formidable core built around captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews and Nicola Carey. The five overseas retentions give MI one of the strongest international groups in the league, while Shabnim Ismail anchors the pace attack.
Six players were released: G Kamalini, Saika Ishaque, Milly Illingworth, Kranthi Reddy, Poonam Khemnar and Triveni Vasistha. With ₹1 crore left in the purse and seven slots open — the joint-most alongside UP Warriorz — Mumbai have significant rebuilding room and just one overseas slot to fill.
Retained: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Rahila Firdous, Sajeevan Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Vaishnavi Sharma
Released: G Kamalini, Saika Ishaque, Milly Illingworth, Kranthi Reddy, Poonam Khemnar, Triveni Vasistha
Delhi Capitals: 13 retained, 6 released
Delhi Capitals, finalists in every WPL edition so far, retained 13 players with captain Jemimah Rodrigues leading a familiar group. Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland remain the headline names, while the franchise also kept young domestic talent including Deeya Yadav, Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani and N Sree Charani.
Six players moved on: Lizelle Lee, Taniyaa Bhatia, Alana King, Pragati Singh, E Srujana and Sneh Rana. Delhi head into the auction with ₹1.10 crore and five slots to fill, one of them overseas, as they look to finally convert their runners-up streak into a first title.
Retained: Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Shafali Verma, Deeya Yadav, Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, N Sree Charani, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Laura Wolvaardt, Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Lucy Hamilton, Marizanne Kapp
Released: Lizelle Lee, Taniyaa Bhatia, Alana King, Pragati Singh, E Srujana, Sneh Rana
Gujarat Giants: 15 retained, 4 released
Gujarat Giants retained the most players of any franchise — 15 — signalling confidence in a squad that has steadily improved, reaching back-to-back knockout appearances. Ashleigh Gardner leads a squad that also keeps Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth and Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
The big talking point was the release of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, among the most destructive openers in the women’s game. Ayushi Soni, Titas Sadhu and Shivani Singh were also released. Gujarat enter the auction with ₹1.25 crore and just three slots to fill — a small, targeted shopping list focused on one overseas spot.
Retained: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Anushka Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, Bharti Fulmali, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwer
Released: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Ayushi Soni, Titas Sadhu, Shivani Singh
UP Warriorz: 11 retained, 6 released
UP Warriorz made the boldest calls of retention day. The franchise retained 11 players — keeping Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield, Shikha Pandey and Pratika Rawal — but released six, including experienced names Deandra Dottin, Chloe Tryon, Amy Jones, Asha Sobhana, Kiran Navgire and Shweta Sehrawat.
The overhaul leaves UP Warriorz with the biggest purse in the league — ₹3.65 crore — and seven slots to fill, including two overseas spots. After finishing at the bottom of the table last season, they are clearly backing themselves to rebuild aggressively at the Kochi auction.
Retained: Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone, Tara Norris
Released: Deandra Dottin, Chloe Tryon, Amy Jones, Asha Sobhana, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat
Purse and slots remaining for the WPL 2027 auction
| Team | Retained | Released | Remaining purse | Slots open | Overseas slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UP Warriorz | 11 | 6 | ₹3.65 crore | 7 | 2 |
| Gujarat Giants | 15 | 4 | ₹1.25 crore | 3 | 1 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 13 | 4 | ₹1.15 crore | 5 | 2 |
| Delhi Capitals | 13 | 6 | ₹1.10 crore | 5 | 1 |
| Mumbai Indians | 11 | 6 | ₹1.00 crore | 7 | 1 |
What happens next
The WPL 2027 auction takes place on October 28, 2026 in Kochi, where the five franchises will compete for the 27 remaining slots. Released players can be bought back by their former teams at the auction, so several of the 26 released names may yet return to familiar colours. With UP Warriorz holding nearly three times the purse of the next-closest team, expect them to be the most aggressive bidders in the room.
Frequently asked questions
When was the WPL 2027 retention deadline?
The retention deadline for WPL 2027 was September 28, 2026. All five franchises announced their retained and released player lists on that date.
How many players were retained ahead of the WPL 2027 auction?
A total of 63 players were retained across the five franchises, including 23 overseas players. Twenty-six players were released into the auction pool.
Which team retained the most players for WPL 2027?
Gujarat Giants retained 15 players, the most of any franchise. RCB and Delhi Capitals retained 13 each, while Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz retained 11 each.
Which team has the biggest purse for the WPL 2027 auction?
UP Warriorz have the largest remaining purse at ₹3.65 crore, with seven slots to fill. Mumbai Indians have the smallest purse at ₹1 crore.
Can released players be bought back at the auction?
Yes. Released players enter the auction pool and can be bid on by any franchise, including their former team.
When and where is the WPL 2027 auction?
The WPL 2027 player auction is scheduled for October 28, 2026 in Kochi. The season itself runs from January 14 to February 7, 2027.
Conclusion
The retention lists confirm the shape of WPL 2027’s leading contenders: RCB and Delhi sticking with proven cores, Mumbai backing experience, Gujarat doubling down on continuity, and UP Warriorz tearing it up to start again. With ₹3.65 crore in hand and seven slots open, all eyes at the Kochi auction will be on how UP Warriorz spend — but the 26 released players mean bargains will be available for every team at the table.
