WPL 2026 Date and Time Announced During Mega Auction

WPL 2026 date and time have been announced, and cricket lovers from all across the country are not able to hold back their excitement. The 4th edition of the WPL is a result of three consecutive successes in the previous seasons of WPL, and has been scheduled to run from January 9th to February 5th.

The first tournament of the league will be held at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 9, before the second half of the league (including the final) is held at Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Kotambi on February 5.

Fans are gearing up for another thrilling session of one of the most successful and expensive women’s T20 leagues. In this blog post of Winexch, we are diving deep into every detail about WPL 2026.

The Build-Up to the WPL 2026 Auction

The mega auction was one of the highlights heading into the new season – largely because of the debut of Right to Match (RTM) cards and several squad reshuffles. A pool of 277 players, including capped Indian and international, uncapped Indian and foreign players, were called up for the auctions, which saw them being sold to the eight teams at a frenetic pace. This resulted in intense bidding wars, surprise winners and record-breaking price tags.

Franchises came armed with a new strategy on auction day – mix the old with the young. Some sides turned to a rebuilding phase while others looked to strengthen their already strong units. Amid all this, the platforms have also reported a surge of interest from fans who are studying squad outcomes, predicting performances and prepping themselves for the season ahead.

Major Auction Highlights and Base Prices

One of the key occasions during the auction was when Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma threatened to smash the existing WPL price record while being part of the bidding. With a base price of 50 lakh rupees, she received some fierce bids before UP Warriorz ended up paying an astounding three crore twenty lakh rupees against her on their RTM card. 

It is now the turn of Deepti, who has been signed as the marquee player, becoming a part and parcel of the Warriorz project for this edition. 

Another highlight in the bidding process was that of Amelia Kerr, who started with a base price of fifty lakh rupees. Kerr went to the Mumbai Indians, where the latter continued their love for match-winners by purchasing the all-rounder for three crore, adding depth to their middle-order and spin department.

Gujarat Giants made a big statement by picking Sophie Devine for two crore rupees and showed their desire to put together a strong, attacking squad. 

Devine’s base price being fifty lakh rupees as well, she is one of the most expensive buys on the circuit from overseas.

In another big buy, former Australia captain Meg Lanning was picked up by UP Warriorz for one crore ninety lakh rupees. She will be undertaking a big move to a new franchise after captaining the Delhi Capitals in three finals in prior WPL seasons and missing the most recent edition due to personal commitments.

Delhi Capitals also added some promising players like Laura Wolvaardt, Sree Charani and Chinelle Henry which all of whom had base prices between thirty to fifty lakh INR, but later they sold for over a crore rupees each. 

These signings highlight the ever-increasing market value of attacking multi-dimensional all-rounders in women’s T20 cricket.

Impact of Auction Results on the WPL 2026 Season

As the WPL 2026 date and time are set and teams are settled, franchises can start refining their squads. The big investment in multi-skilled players is a reflection of how important all-rounders have become in T20. Franchise think-tanks certainly knew what they were doing – flexibility, power-hitters and bowlers who can cope under pressure.

Not just any Indian player, this season would also be seminal for fresh local talent. Several uncapped players have been picked up for the first time, demonstrating the WPL’s potential to influence who is likely to be on cricket fields in the years to come. Reverting to the two-city concept allows for less travel and longer practice windows every time a team gets back in its home rink, easing entry into more of an in-season rhythm.

For fantasy players and fans deeply engaged in prediction platforms like Winexchange, the new player lists are an unending source of possibilities. New pairing, team dynamics and players of high calibre in the ranks leave us with predictions for top scorers, wicket takers or match winners that are now more appetising than ever.

Conclusion

With the WPL 2026 date and time now confirmed, you can be sure that there will be an increasing amount of hype over the coming weeks. Training camps will open and pre-season team bonding exercises will run with media days to keep fans interested. Franchise social media accounts are also going to begin posting practice clips, behind-the-scenes videos and jersey launches, all of which add to the fun.

Navi Mumbai will once again reverberate with the crowd noise at DY Patil Stadium, which has already hosted a significant ICC women’s event in the recent past. Baroda, in contrast, is gearing up for its return as a WPL venue, and it’s expected to come packed with stands and regional fervour.

FAQ

1. What are the confirmed dates for WPL 2026?

WPL 2026 will be held at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 9, before the second half of the league (including the final) is held at Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Kotambi on February 5.

2. Who was the Priciest Buy at the Auction?

Deepti Sharma was the most expensive buy, setting a new high record of getting three crore twenty lakh rupees.

3. Which major players went unsold?

Prominent names such as Alyssa Healy, Alana King and Tazmin Brits remained unsold in the WPL 2026 auction.

4. How many players went under the hammer?

There were only 73 slots, but as many as 277 players in the auction pool.