WPL 2026 Retention: Full List of Players Retained and Released
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 retention list was announced ahead of the upcoming mega auction, revealing several surprising decisions across teams. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur were among the high-profile players retained by their teams, while Deepti Sharma and Alyssa Healy were released.
Key Player Retentions and Releases
- Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues secured retention spots with their respective franchises.
- Deepti Sharma, who was named Player of the Tournament at the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, was released by UP Warriorz.
- UP Warriorz chose to rebuild, retaining only one player for the upcoming season.
Retention Rules and Team Strategies
Each team was allowed to keep up to five players under these conditions:
- Three capped Indian players.
- Two overseas players or two uncapped Indian players.
- If retaining five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian.
Teams retaining fewer players preserve more Right-to-Match (RTM) options and an increased budget for the mega auction.
Teams with Maximum Retentions
- Mumbai Indians: Defending champions, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, retained five players.
- Delhi Capitals: Three-time runners-up retained five players, including Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues.
These teams will enter the mega auction without any RTM options available.
"Each team could retain up to five players - three Indian capped players and either two overseas or two uncapped Indian players. In case a team opted to retain five players, at least one of them had to be an uncapped Indian."
"While most of the cricket teams executed their WPL 2026 retention strategies to maintain a balanced core, UP Warriorz looked to start afresh with just one retained player."
With these strategic moves, the WPL 2026 mega auction promises intense competition for teams looking to strengthen their squads.
Summary: The WPL 2026 retention list reflects strategic squad building, with top players held by leading teams and UP Warriorz opting for a near-complete rebuild.