Grace Harris a bargain for UP Warriorz at WPL 2027 auction, says Anjum Chopra

Anjum Chopra said UP Warriorz secured Australian all-rounder Grace Harris at her base price of Rs 30 lakh at the WPL 2027 auction on Saturday, calling the signing an "absolute steal." Chopra made the comment during an interview with PTI.

Harris has been part of the league since its inaugural season in 2023 and returned to UP Warriorz after spending the 2026 edition with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. She previously represented UP Warriorz in the first three editions before moving to RCB in 2026 and has taken a significant pay cut after earning Rs 75 lakh in each of the competition’s first four seasons. The 33-year-old has scored 818 runs in 31 matches at a strike rate of 149.54 and has taken 15 wickets, with best figures of 4/15.

"Grace Harris was the only one which I felt was an absolute steal. I think Grace could have fetched a higher price. Thirty lakhs, I thought, is a very nice buy for UP Warriorz because obviously she brings more than one skill to the fore; she is multi-talented," Anjum told PTI in an exclusive Zoom interview on Saturday.

UP Warriorz's auction business also included the signing of Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux for Rs 1.10 crore, their largest outlay in the event. The franchise entered the auction with Rs 3.75 crore in their purse and spent Rs 2.60 crore on eight players as they aimed to add depth to their squad.

Players retained by the franchise were Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning*, Phoebe Litchfield*, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone*, and Tara Norris*. Acquisitions at the auction were Sophie Molineux – Rs 1.10 crore, Sneh Rana – Rs 30 lakh, Grace Harris – Rs 30 lakh, Sushma Verma – Rs 30 lakh, Kathryn Bryce – Rs 10 lakh, Manali Dakshini – Rs 10 lakh, Sahana Pawar – Rs 10 lakh, and Asha Sobhana – Rs 30 lakh.

The Warriorz have mixed past results in the tournament, finishing third and reaching the Eliminator in 2023, slipping to fourth in 2024, and ending at the bottom of the table in both 2025 and 2026. Management and supporters will look to the new signings to address those recent declines and provide balance across batting and bowling.

With Meg Lanning leading the side, the Warriorz will aim to reverse their fortunes and mount a serious challenge for a maiden WPL title.