The WPL 2027 mini auction took place in Kochi on October 28, 2026. Franchises competed for just 27 vacant slots from a pool of about 150 registered players. Sophie Molineux topped the price chart at Rs 1.1 crore, and Kiran Navgire was the most expensive Indian buy at Rs 75 lakh.
WPL 2027 Auction at a Glance
All five franchises had confirmed retentions and releases in September, so the auction was a top-up exercise. Only 27 spots were open, which means roughly 18% of the 150 names in the pool could find a team.
UP Warriorz entered the auction room with the biggest purse. The other teams had around Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crore each, which limited how many large bids any one franchise could place.
| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Venue | Kochi |
| Date | October 28, 2026 |
| Players in auction pool | About 150 |
| Slots available | 27 |
| Approximate share of pool sold | About 18% |
| Purse range (other franchises) | Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crore |
Most Expensive Buys of the Night
Four signings stood out on price. Molineux, Navgire, G Kamalini and Jess Jonassen account for the highest bids reported across the major match reports.
| Rank | Player | Team | Price |
|---|
| 1 | Sophie Molineux | UP Warriorz | Rs 1.1 crore (110 lakh) |
| 2 | Kiran Navgire | Delhi Capitals | Rs 75 lakh |
| 3 (joint) | G Kamalini | Gujarat Giants | Rs 40 lakh |
| 3 (joint) | Jess Jonassen | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rs 40 lakh |
Sophie Molineux: The Top Price
The Australia captain and left-arm spinner went to UP Warriorz for Rs 1.1 crore. She returns to the WPL for the first time since 2024, when she was part of the title-winning RCB side.
Her price is 46.7% higher than the second-highest bid. The gap between Molineux and Navgire is 35 lakh.
Kiran Navgire: Costliest Indian Player
Navgire was the first player to go under the hammer and drew several bidders. Delhi Capitals secured the India middle-order batter for Rs 75 lakh, which is about 68% of Molineux's price.
That made her the second-most expensive buy overall and the highest-paid Indian player of the auction.
Smaller Signings That Shaped Squads
G Kamalini moves to Gujarat Giants for Rs 40 lakh after a year with Mumbai Indians. Her price is about 53% of Navgire's and about 36% of Molineux's.
RCB released Molineux earlier in the evening and then signed Jess Jonassen for Rs 40 lakh as their left-arm spinner. Jonassen is a former Delhi Capitals bowler, and RCB are two-time WPL champions.
Many other signings came at the lower end of the price scale. With limited purses, several franchises preferred cheaper depth options over a second high-priced buy.
Squad Sizes After the Auction
All five franchises have finalised their rosters. The table below counts the names in the squad lists published after the bidding.
| Franchise | Listed Squad Size |
|---|
| Delhi Capitals | 17 |
| Gujarat Giants | 18 |
| Mumbai Indians | 18 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 17 |
| UP Warriorz | 18 |
Squad Highlights
Delhi Capitals now list Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Navgire. Gujarat Giants include Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh, along with Kamalini.
Mumbai Indians retain Harmanpreet Kaur, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr. RCB's list features Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh and Jonassen.
UP Warriorz have Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone and Molineux. Their pace and spin options are now among the deepest in the league on paper.
Analytical Takeaways
The price curve fell sharply after the top two bids. Only Molineux and Navgire went above Rs 40 lakh among the headline buys, which shows how tight the purses were.
Spin and middle-order batting were the clear priorities for the major bids. The results suggest franchises used the mini auction to fill specific role gaps rather than add star power.