The WPL 2026 auction took place on Thursday, November 27. Deepti Sharma, the 'Player of the Series' in the 2025 ODI World Cup, caught the attention of the UP Warriorz who placed a major bid and retained her with a Right to Match (RTM) at 32 million INR, making her the second-highest paid player in WPL history.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma's bidding opened at 5 million INR, and Delhi Capitals made the initial offer. As the bid soared to 32 million INR, it seemed she would join Delhi Capitals (DC). However, UP Warriorz played their RTM card, bringing her back to their squad.
For a moment, it seemed Deepti might break Smriti Mandhana's record as the WPL's most expensive player. In the 2023 WPL auction, Smriti Mandhana saw fierce bidding and was secured by Royal Challengers Bangalore for 34 million INR, becoming the tournament's most expensive player.
What is RTM?
For the first time, WPL teams were permitted to use the RTM (Right To Match) card. This allows a team to retain its former player, previously released, by buying them back in the auction. These players were part of the 2025 squad.
Deepti Sharma's Stellar Performance in the 2025 World Cup...
Deepti Sharma delivered a phenomenal performance in the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup, capturing 22 wickets and scoring 215 runs. Recognized as the 'Player of the Tournament,' Deepti emerged as the leading wicket-taker. She made history as the first player—male or female—to achieve the double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single World Cup season. She also reached a shared second in most wickets in a Women's ODI World Cup edition.
In the final against South Africa, Deepti made 58 runs and clinched five wickets for 39 runs. She became the first cricketer, in both men's and women's World Cup knockout matches, to score a half-century and take five wickets. Additionally, she became the first Indian female player to achieve a five-wicket haul and a half-century in an ODI. This feat was previously only accomplished by Yuvraj Singh against Ireland in the 2011 World Cup.
