The UP Warriorz have taken the biggest and boldest step ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction by releasing almost their entire squad. With only one player retained ahead of the auction, the franchise entered the new cycle of the Women’s Premier League with a complete reset plan.
After finishing last in the 2025 season, the management opted for a fresh start under head coach Abhishek Nayar. Their strategy has now been fully executed at the WPL 2026 Mega Auction — and the results are massive.
The WPL 2026 Mega Auction was held on November 27 in New Delhi, where UP Warriorz arrived with a huge purse and fully rebuilt their squad with 18 players, spending ₹14.85 crore and finishing with only ₹0.15 crore left.
UP Warriorz WPL 2026 Retained Players
UP Warriorz retained only one player ahead of the WPL 2026 auction — young Indian batting sensation Shweta Sehrawat.
Retained Player List (UPW WPL 2026)
| Sr. No. | Player Name | Type | Amount (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shweta Sehrawat | Uncapped | 50 lakh |
Updated Retention Summary:
- Total Players Retained: 1
- RTM Cards Used: 0
- Purse Available Before Auction: ₹15 crore
- Purse Remaining After Auction: ₹0.15 crore
UPW’s strategy worked perfectly — they used the massive purse to rebuild the entire squad from scratch.
Read Also:- ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: All-Female Umpires List
UP Warriorz WPL 2026 Released Players
UPW released their entire squad except Shweta Sehrawat. All Indian and overseas players were let go, including former captains and marquee names such as Deepti Sharma, Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone and more.
Full Released Players List – UP Warriorz WPL 2026
| Indian Players Released | Overseas Players Released |
|---|---|
| Deepti Sharma | Alyssa Healy |
| Anjali Sarvani | Sophie Ecclestone |
| Arushi Goel | Grace Harris |
| Kiran Navgire | Chamari Athapaththu |
| Rajeshwari Gayakwad | Chinelle Henry |
| Saima Thakor | Tahlia McGrath |
| Uma Chetry | Georgia Voll |
| Arundhati Reddy | Alana King |
| Kranti Goud | |
| Poonam Khemnar | |
| Vrinda Dinesh | |
| Gouher Sultana |
This remains one of the largest release lists in WPL history.
Why Did UP Warriorz Release Their Big Players?
The major reasons behind the complete squad reset:
1. Poor Performances in Previous Seasons
- Playoffs in 2023
- 2nd last in 2024
- Last in WPL 2025
2. New Coach, New Vision
New head coach Abhishek Nayar wanted to rebuild the squad from scratch with a new tactical blueprint.
3. Maximum Auction Flexibility
- ₹15 crore purse before auction
- Ability to outbid every other franchise
- Full freedom to rebuild departments
UP Warriorz WPL 2026 Auction Picks (Updated)
UPW executed one of the most aggressive auction strategies in WPL history, buying 18 players and completing their squad.
Complete UPW Squad After WPL 2026 Auction
| Player | Type | Base Price | Sold For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deepti Sharma | All-rounder | 50 lakh | 3.20 Cr |
| Shikha Pandey | All-rounder | 40 lakh | 2.40 Cr |
| Meg Lanning | Batter | 50 lakh | 1.90 Cr |
| Phoebe Litchfield | Batter | 50 lakh | 1.20 Cr |
| Asha Sobhana | Bowler | 30 lakh | 1.10 Cr |
| Sophie Ecclestone | Bowler | 50 lakh | 0.85 Cr |
| Deandra Dottin | All-rounder | 50 lakh | 0.80 Cr |
| Kiran Navgire | Batter | 40 lakh | 0.60 Cr |
| Harleen Deol | All-rounder | 50 lakh | 0.50 Cr |
| Kranti Goud | Bowler | 50 lakh | 0.50 Cr |
| Pratika Rawal | All-rounder | 50 lakh | 0.50 Cr |
| Shweta Sehrawat | Batter | – | 0.50 Cr (retained) |
| Chloe Tryon | All-rounder | 30 lakh | 0.30 Cr |
| Suman L Meena | All-rounder | 10 lakh | 10 lakh |
| Tara Norris | All-rounder | 10 lakh | 10 lakh |
| Shipra Giri | Batter | 10 lakh | 10 lakh |
| Simran Shaikh | Batter | 10 lakh | 10 lakh |
| Gongadi Trisha | All-rounder | 10 lakh | 10 lakh |
Updated Squad Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Players | 18 |
| Overseas Players | 6 |
| Purse Spent | ₹14.85 crore |
| Purse Remaining | ₹0.15 crore |
| Most Expensive Buy | Deepti Sharma – ₹3.20 crore |
Conclusion
The UP Warriorz have delivered one of the strongest and most aggressive auctions in WPL history. With a completely rebuilt squad featuring Indian stars and world-class overseas players, UPW has entered WPL 2026 with renewed ambition and a powerful roster.
Whether this bold strategy transforms into success will be one of the biggest storylines of the upcoming WPL season.
