UP Warriorz surprised many by releasing several key players before the Women’s Premier League mega auction. Notable departures included captain Deepti Sharma, Alyssa Healy from Australia, Sophie Ecclestone from England, fast bowler Kranti Goud, and all-rounder Grace Harris. The franchise retained only one player, 21-year-old Shweta Sehrawat, for Rs 50 lakh, leaving a substantial amount of Rs 14.5 crore in their purse along with four Right-To-Match (RTM) cards for the upcoming mega auction at the end of November.
Head coach Abhishek Nayar made a bold decision to start fresh with a clean slate and a significant budget for the auction. Nayar, also set to coach Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 season, took over from Jon Lewis as the head coach of the WPL team.
The most surprising move was the release of Deepti Sharma, who had a stellar performance in the Women’s World Cup final with five wickets. Despite being named the Player of the Tournament for her 215 runs and 22 wickets in India’s historic World Cup victory, Deepti was let go as the franchise aimed to rebuild with ample funds for acquiring key players.
UP Warriorz are looking to revamp their team after two lackluster seasons, finishing fourth in 2024 and last in the previous year. Nayar hinted at the possibility of reacquiring players like Deepti, Alyssa, and Ecclestone through the RTM cards at the mega auction to bolster the team’s chances of success.
The franchise’s strategy of starting afresh with a well-funded approach demonstrates their commitment to assembling a winning team. Each team had the option to retain up to five players, with specific rules regarding the combination of Indian and overseas players. The retention fees ranged from 3.5 crore for the first player to 50 lakh for the fifth.
Ahead of the WPL auction, UP Warriorz retained Shweta Sehrawat and released a host of players, signaling a new chapter for the team.