All five Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchises have officially announced their retained and released player lists ahead of the 2027 season. A total of 63 players have been retained across the teams as preparations ramp up for the WPL 2027 auction, scheduled for October 28 in Kochi.
The fifth edition of the flagship tournament will take place from January 14 to February 7, 2027.
Key Takeaways Across Franchises
|
Franchise |
Retained Players |
Key Retained Stars |
Major Releases |
Available Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) |
13 |
Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil |
Grace Harris, Linsey Smith, D Hemalatha |
5 |
|
Mumbai Indians (MI) |
11 |
Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews |
G Kamalini, Saika Ishaque, Poonam Khemnar |
7 |
|
Delhi Capitals (DC) |
13 |
Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt |
Lizelle Lee, Sneh Rana, Alana King |
5 |
|
UP Warriorz (UPW) |
11 |
Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield |
Shweta Sehrawat, Kiran Navgire, Deandra Dottin |
7 |
|
Gujarat Giants (GG) |
15 |
Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh |
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Titas Sadhu |
3 |
RCB Retains Title-Winning Core, Parts Ways with Grace Harris
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have kept 13 players, maintaining their championship backbone led by skipper Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry. Perry returns to the lineup after sitting out the previous campaign.
However, RCB made a massive statement by releasing Australian power-hitter Grace Harris along with English spinner Linsey Smith and domestic duo Dayalan Hemalatha and Gautami Naik.
”Perry’s return gave the franchise greater flexibility while planning its squad dynamics,” noted RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan, explaining the tactical shift.
Mumbai Indians Make Tough Call on G Kamalini
Two-time champions Mumbai Indians have chosen to retain 11 players, anchored by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Amelia Kerr.
In one of the most surprising individual releases, MI moved on from young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini. Kamalini was previously one of MI’s prized retentions ahead of the 2026 mega auction. Meanwhile, spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who originally entered as an injury replacement, has secured a full retention spot for 2027.
UP Warriorz Overhaul; Gujarat Giants Opt for Maximum Stability
- UP Warriorz: The franchise undertook the most aggressive squad refresh. While protecting key figures like skipper Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma, UPW released prominent hitters including Deandra Dottin, Chloe Tryon, Amy Jones, and Indian batter Shweta Sehrawat.
- Gujarat Giants: Opting for continuity, GG retained 15 players—the maximum among all teams. Led by Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney, the Giants released only four players, leaving them with just three empty squad spots to fill in Kochi.
With 27 total slots open across the five franchises, teams will head to the Kochi auction targeting specific puzzle pieces to complete their 18-player rosters.
