Late Additions Complete WPL Auction Pool as Franchises Weigh Purse and Needs

Kochi: Four late additions have completed the Women’s Premier League auction pool for the 2027 season, with New Zealand left-arm medium pacer Bree Illing and three uncapped Indian players bringing the final shortlist to 150.

Illing, who has set her base price at ₹30 lakh, offers an overseas pace option in a pool that had already drawn significant interest. The Indian contingent comprises Delhi legspinners Medhavi Bidhuri and Samaira Raghav, and Uttar Pradesh left-arm medium pacer Avanya Jain. All three domestic players start at ₹10 lakh. Raghav also offers lower-order batting depth.

The additions take the list from 146 to an even 150, with the auction set for Wednesday in Kochi.

Purses and Priorities

The five franchises enter the auction with markedly different resources. UP Warriorz hold the largest remaining purse at ₹3.75 crore, with eight slots to fill, including three overseas positions. That combination of capital and vacancies makes them the most flexible participant in the room.

At the opposite end, Mumbai Indians have just ₹90 lakh available across six open slots, all reserved for Indian players. Their room for manoeuvre is limited, and their strategy will likely centre on domestic talent rather than overseas acquisitions.

Gujarat Giants have ₹1.25 crore left for three slots. Royal Challengers Bengaluru hold ₹1.15 crore and Delhi Capitals ₹1.10 crore, each with five slots to fill. Delhi’s purse includes one vacancy on the overseas bench, adding a layer of complexity to their planning. The Capitals have finished as runners-up in all four editions of the tournament, a record that lends their auction decisions particular weight.

Illing’s Timing

Illing’s entry comes late in the process but at a potentially opportune moment. An overseas left-arm seamer at a 30 lakh base price offers a specific skill set that franchises with remaining overseas slots must evaluate. UP Warriorz, with three such positions open, are the most obvious candidate. Gujarat Giants, with a single overseas vacancy and three slots overall, may also consider the option.

For the three uncapped Indians, the auction represents an opportunity to break into a competition that has expanded its reach with each season. Raghav’s dual value as a legspinner who can contribute with the bat adds a dimension that franchises often value in the lower order.

The auction on Wednesday will determine how these final additions fit into the plans of five franchises operating under vastly different constraints. For some, the purse remains substantial. For others, the task is to find value in a narrower field.

                                               

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