WPL: Harris and Lee released as five franchises retain 63 players ahead of auction
NEW DELHI — On Monday, ahead of next month’s Women’s Premier League auction, the five franchises confirmed retention lists that kept 63 players, including 23 overseas cricketers.
The deadline for retention submissions for the fifth WPL season closed on Monday. Gujarat Giants retained 20 players, the most among the franchises, while UP Warriorz retained the fewest at 15, a decision the report linked to the side’s poor tournament record and which leaves Warriorz with a purse of ₹3.65 crore. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept 13 players, including four overseas retentions: Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk, Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry. The report notes Perry is 35, pulled out of RCB’s title-winning campaign for personal reasons and was part of her country’s T20 World Cup triumph in England in July.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, winners of their second title in February this year, retained 13 players: Arundhati Reddy, Ellyse Perry*, Georgia Voll*, Lauren Bell*, Nadine De Klerk*, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyoosha Kumar, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil and Smriti Mandhana. Among those released by RCB was all-rounder Grace Harris, who scored two half-centuries in nine innings this year.
Delhi Capitals also retained 13 players and will continue with five overseas members: Annabel Sutherland*, Chinelle Henry*, Laura Wolvaardt*, Lucy Hamilton* and Marizanne Kapp*. The list of retained Delhi players reads: Annabel Sutherland*, Chinelle Henry*, Deeya Yadav, Jemimah Rodriguez, Laura Wolvaardt*, Lucy Hamilton*, Mamatha Madiwala, Marizanne Kapp*, Minnu Mani, N Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Niki Prasad and Shafali Verma. Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Lizelle Lee, who scored 320 runs in 10 innings in 2026, has been released.
Gujarat Giants, who retained the largest group at 20 players, announced the following retentions: Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner*, Beth Mooney*, Bharti Fulmali, Georgia Wareham*, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Kim Garth*, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine*, Tanuja Kanwer, Yastika Bhatia. Mumbai Indians retained 11 players: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr*, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews*, Nat Sciver-Brunt*, Nicola Carey*, Rahila Firdous, Sajeevan Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail* and Vaishnavi Sharma.
UP Warriorz retained 15 players: Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning*, Phoebe Litchfield*, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone*, Tara Norris* alongside other retained squad members. The retention announcements leave each franchise with the following salary cap and roster slot situations: DC: ₹1.1 crore and 5 slots (1 overseas); GG: ₹1.25 crore and 3 slots (1 overseas); MI: ₹1 crore and 7 slots (1 overseas); RCB: ₹1.15 crore and 5 slots (2 overseas); UPW: ₹3.65 crore and 7 slots (2 overseas).
The WPL auction to fill remaining squad places will be held in Kochi on October 28.
