Australian all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland have withdrawn from the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 due to personal reasons, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Tuesday.
The fourth edition of the tournament begins on January 9, with defending champions Mumbai Indians set to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match.
RCB Name Sayali Satghare as Perry’s Replacement
Perry, a key figure in RCB’s WPL title-winning campaign, was retained by the franchise ahead of the WPL 2026 auction. Following her withdrawal, RCB have announced Sayali Satghare as her replacement. The Indian all-rounder joins the Smriti Mandhana-led side at her reserve price of INR 30 lakh.
RCB will miss Perry’s experience and match-winning ability, especially in high-pressure situations. Her absence leaves a significant gap, and the onus will be on the rest of the squad to step up in the upcoming season.
Delhi Capitals Rop in Alana King
Delhi Capitals have named Australian spinner Alana King as the replacement for Annabel Sutherland, who was also retained by the franchise. King, previously part of UP Warriorz, joins the Jemimah Rodrigues-led side at a reserve price of INR 60 lakh.
UP Warriorz Replace Tara Norris with Charli Knott
Left-arm medium pacer Tara Norris (USA) has also been ruled out of WPL 2026 after being selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, scheduled in Nepal from January 18 to February 1, 2026.
Norris was set to represent UP Warriorz, who have now named Charli Knott, an uncapped Australian all-rounder, as her replacement at a reserve price of INR 10 lakh.
Ashleigh Gardner to Continue as Gujarat Giants Captain
Earlier this week, Gujarat Giants confirmed that Ashleigh Gardner will continue as captain for WPL 2026. Gardner has been a consistent performer for the Giants, scoring 567 runs and taking 25 wickets across 25 matches in the first three seasons.
Looking Ahead
Following the conclusion of WPL 2026, India Women and Australia Women are scheduled to face each other in a high-profile multi-format series in February–March 2026, featuring three T20Is, three ODIs, and a one-off Test match. This series will mark their first meeting since India’s memorable victory over Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-final.
