UP Warriorz buy Sophie Molineux for INR 1.10 crore; RCB quiet in early bidding
India middle-order batter Kiran Navgire was bought by Delhi Capitals for INR 75 lakh at the WPL 2027 auction in Kochi
Sruthi Ravindranath
Published: Oct 28, 2026, 1:08 PM (1 hr ago)
Sophie Molineux was the top buy of the WPL 2027 auction • Getty Images
Australia captain Sophie Molineux has been bought by UP Warriorz (UPW) for INR 1.10 crore, while India middle-order batter Kiran Navgire has been picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 75 lakh at the WPL 2027 auction in Kochi.
India wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, who played for Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2025 and 2026 after being bought for INR 1.60 crore, went to Gujarat Giants (GG) for her base price of INR 40 lakh. GG also bought Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast, who is set for her maiden WPL stint, for INR 30 lakh. With that buy, GG had only one slot left with INR 55 lakh remaining in their purse.
Defending champions RCB, who did not buy a single player in the main round, bought Australia allrounder Jess Jonassen for her base price of INR 40 lakh.
UPW also added India allrounder Sneh Rana, Australia allrounder Grace Harris and wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma at their base prices of INR 30 lakh. It will be Rana's fourth team in the WPL, after playing for RCB, GG and DC in the first four seasons.
"[The UP Warriorz spin attack] is very strong," Rana told Jiostar. "And Deepti Sharma will be with me, with whom I have been playing for a long time. So I know their strengths, so we will keep talking to each other. And it's going to be a lot of fun. I am very excited [to play under Meg Lanning]. I have always seen her on TV. And even now when she leads UP, it looks very good. Seeing her captaincy, seeing her changes, it looks very good. So I am very excited to play under her."
UPW, who started the auction with the largest purse of INR 3.75 crore, had to stave off competition for Molineux from her former team Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who dropped out of the bid at INR 1.05 crore. RCB headed into the auction with a purse of INR 1.15 crore. Molineux, who led Australia to their seventh T20 World Cup title in July, is also their highest wicket-taker this year. It was no surprise that UP Warriorz, who had eight slots to fill having released nine players, have made the most number of purchases so far.
UPW's COO and director of cricket Kshemal Waingankar said Molineux and Harris provide flexibility to the side.
"[We were going to get Molineux] at any cost," Waingankar said. "That puts us in a good position with Sophie and Grace combined to tweak our combinations and decide what works best. Grace brings power to the middle order, Sophie Molineux obviously leadership qualities, an exceptional bowler and fantastic with the team in general. Our thought was her and Sophie Ecclestone together would be a lethal force, and with Grace we have the option of switching and seeing how things go work."
Harris, who was Smriti Mandhana's opening partner and RCB's second-highest run-getter last season, was one of the four players released by the side. Harris played for UPW in the first three seasons in the middle order.
"I would agree, yes [that Grace was a steal for 30 lakh]," he added. It's good to have her back. Our first season we had her, 17 balls 51 runs needed, she won us the game, she set WPL alight. We were on the other end of the stick last year with her [at RCB]. But she's someone we're very happy to bring back."
England batter Sophia Dunkley, who had listed herself at the highest base price of INR 50 lakh, went unsold and so did Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu who had a base price of INR 30 lakh. Shweta Sehrawat, who was the only player UPW retained ahead of the 2026 season, also went unsold.
MI, who had the lowest purse of INR 90 lakh heading into the auction, have bought four uncapped players - Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal and Saanika Chalke - for INR 10 lakh each.
Players bought so far:
Delhi Capitals: Kiran Navgire (INR 75 lakh), Uma Kashvi (INR 10 lakh), Kirstie Gordon (INR 10 lakh)
Gujarat Giants: G Kamalini (INR 40 lakh), Orla Prendergast (INR 30 lakh)
Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat (INR 10 lakh), Latika Inamdar (INR 10 lakh), Bharti Rawal (INR 10 lakh), Saanika Chalke (INR 10 lakh)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Jess Jonassen (INR 40 lakh) UP Warriorz: Sophie Molineux (INR 1.10 crore), Sneh Rana (INR 30 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 30 lakh), Sushma Verma (INR 30 lakh), Kathryn Bryce (INR 10 lakh), Manali Dakshini (INR 10 lakh), Sahana Pawar (INR 10 lakh)
Gujarat Giants: G Kamalini (INR 40 lakh), Orla Prendergast (INR 30 lakh)
Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat (INR 10 lakh), Latika Inamdar (INR 10 lakh), Bharti Rawal (INR 10 lakh), Saanika Chalke (INR 10 lakh)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Jess Jonassen (INR 40 lakh) UP Warriorz: Sophie Molineux (INR 1.10 crore), Sneh Rana (INR 30 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 30 lakh), Sushma Verma (INR 30 lakh), Kathryn Bryce (INR 10 lakh), Manali Dakshini (INR 10 lakh), Sahana Pawar (INR 10 lakh)
Sruthi Ravindranath is a sub-editor at Cricinfo





