Molineux fetches Rs 1.10 crore from UP Warriorz at WPL 2027 auction; Kamalini goes to Gujarat Giants

Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux was the costliest player at Wednesday's auction for the 2027 season of the Women's Premier League (WPL). UP Warriorz bought her for Rs 1.10 crore. Gujarat Giants signed young India wicketkeeper-batter G. Kamalini at her base price of Rs 40 lakh.

Molineux was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side that won the title in 2024. She could not play in the 2026 WPL season because of an injury. Her base price for this auction was Rs 50 lakh. UP Warriorz opened the bidding, and after RCB entered the contest, the price went up to Rs 95 lakh within a minute.

UP then raised the bid to Rs 1 crore, and RCB bid Rs 1.05 crore. UP Warriorz finally bid Rs 1.10 crore to take Molineux. The left-arm spin bowling all-rounder has returned to international cricket in the T20 series against New Zealand after recovering from a hip injury.

Kamalini had been released by Mumbai Indians before the auction, so a big bid was expected for her. However, she was not in the India squad for the 2027 Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup, and there was no keen contest for her at the auction. Gujarat Giants took her at the base price of Rs 40 lakh, and no other team bid for her.

Her performances for Mumbai Indians were below expectations. Even so, she was part of the India team that won the Under-19 Women's World Cup in 2025. Besides the senior India side, she has also played for India A and Tamil Nadu. Gujarat Giants also signed Ireland pace-bowling all-rounder Orla Prendergast at her base price of Rs 30 lakh.

The first purchase of the auction was by Delhi Capitals, who bought Indian batter Kiran Navgire for Rs 75 lakh. Mumbai Indians started the bidding at Rs 40 lakh. Navgire, who had earlier played for UP Warriorz, saw her price taken to Rs 70 lakh by Mumbai. Delhi responded with a bid of Rs 75 lakh. Mumbai Indians had to pull out because only Rs 90 lakh remained in their purse.

UP Warriorz also signed India off-spin all-rounder Sneh Rana and Australia's aggressive all-rounder Grace Harris, each at a base price of Rs 30 lakh. No other team bid for Sneh Rana, who had joined RCB as a replacement player. Her earlier team, Delhi Capitals, also showed no interest in taking her.

Harris played strongly for RCB last season but will now play for UP Warriorz again. RCB had released her after the return of Ellyse Perry. In the UP side she could get a chance to open with Meg Lanning or Pratika Rawal.

Several players went unsold in the early rounds. Raghvi Bist, who has played two T20 internationals for India, had a base price of Rs 30 lakh, but no team bid for her. Maharashtra's aggressive middle-order batter Tejal Hasabnis, who earned a place in India's ODI squad for the series against Zimbabwe, also found no buyer. No team bid for Ayushi Soni, Sri Lanka's experienced all-rounder and captain Chamari Athapaththu, or England batter Sophia Dunkley either. Dunkley's base price was Rs 50 lakh.