UP Warriorz buy Sophie Molineux for Rs 1.1 crore, Delhi Capitals sign Kiran Navgire at WPL 2027 auction

UP Warriorz (UPW) bought Australia captain Sophie Molineux for Rs 1.1 crore and India all-rounder Sneh Rana for Rs 30 lakh at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 mini-auction in Kochi on Wednesday. Delhi Capitals (DC) signed hard-hitting Kiran Navgire for Rs 75 lakh.

Molineux, a spin-bowling all-rounder, had a base price of Rs 50 lakh. UPW and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fought for her before UPW won the bidding at Rs 1.1 crore, according to ANI. She was part of RCB’s title-winning campaign in 2024.

UPW also brought back Australian all-rounder Grace Harris for Rs 30 lakh. They opened the bidding at her base price. Harris played for UPW in 2023, 2024 and 2025. She won the 2026 title with RCB but was released before the auction, as the Bengaluru franchise prepared for the return of Ellyse Perry.


Rana, who has played for Gujarat Giants (GG), DC and RCB, joined UPW at her base price of Rs 30 lakh. No other team bid for her.

UPW did not have a specialist wicketkeeper last season. This time they bought former India wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma for Rs 30 lakh. In the accelerated auction, they added Scotland all-rounder Kathryn Bryce for Rs 10 lakh. She became the first player from an Associate Nation to be sold at the auction.

Kshemal Waingankar, COO and director of cricket at Capri Sports, which owns UPW, said having another spinner in Molineux was not a “bad problem”. “I think that just puts us in a good position, whether that’s Sophie and Grace combined to tweak our combinations and decide which combination works best,” he said, according to PTI. He added that Harris brings power to the middle order and that Molineux brings leadership. He said she would be a “lethal force” alongside Sophie Ecclestone.

Navgire, who was earlier with UPW, also drew bids from two-time WPL winners Mumbai Indians (MI), before DC won her at Rs 75 lakh. In the accelerated auction, DC also signed Scotland left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon for Rs 10 lakh. They added 15-year-old all-rounder Uma Kashvi for the same amount.

GG signed young Indian batter G Kamalini for Rs 40 lakh. Earlier in the auction, they bought Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast for Rs 30 lakh.

GG head coach Michael Klinger called Kamalini the most talented batter in the auction. “We were looking for an all-rounder to complement our squad,” he said. He said Prendergast, a seam-bowling all-rounder, gives the team plenty of options. He had worked with her at Welsh Fire in The Hundred this year. “She’s a leading player for Ireland, also good leadership qualities and will be fantastic around the group,” he said.

RCB add Jonassen, MI complete squad

RCB made a late bid for Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen and signed her for Rs 40 lakh in the accelerated auction. Jonassen is missing the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) with a hip injury, but is expected to be fit by the time the WPL starts.

MI made Disha Kasat their first buy of the auction at her base price of Rs 10 lakh. They also added uncapped Indian players Saanika Chalke, Bharti Rawal and Latika Inamdar for Rs 10 lakh each. According to the WPL auction page, they also signed Shweta Sehrawat for Rs 20 lakh and all-rounder Akshita Bhagat for Rs 10 lakh.

Several known names failed to find a buyer. India pacer Titas Sadhu and former MI spinner Saika Ishaque went unsold in the first round. Wicketkeeper-batters Taniya Bhatia and Uma Chetry also had no takers. England batter Sophia Dunkley, who played for GG in the past, went unsold too.