Kochi, October 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
UP Warriorz signed veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma for Rs 30 lakh, while Mumbai Indians secured uncapped batter Disha Kasat for Rs 10 lakh during a relatively quiet phase of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction in Kochi on Wednesday. Several prominent Indian players, including Taniyaa Bhatia, Asha Sobhana and Saika Ishaque, went unsold.
UP Warriorz remained among the most active franchises during this phase, signing Sushma at her base price. She last represented India in a T20 International in December 2016 and previously featured for Gujarat Giants in the inaugural WPL season in 2023. She will now return to the league with UP Warriorz, having attended the franchise’s trials before the auction.
Disha, who was previously part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning squad in 2024, was the only uncapped batter picked up during this phase, joining Mumbai Indians for Rs 10 lakh.
Sushma was the only one of four capped wicketkeepers to attract a bid. Uma Chetry, a member of India’s ODI World Cup-winning squad and the first cricketer from Assam to represent the country, went unsold. Taniyaa Bhatia, released by Delhi Capitals, and Nuzhat Parween also failed to find buyers.
Although Taniyaa is highly regarded for her wicketkeeping skills, franchises appeared reluctant to bid for her because of concerns over her batting.
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Fast bowlers also had a disappointing round. India’s Saima Thakor and Titas Sadhu, Australia’s Tayla Vlaeminck, Sri Lanka’s 19-year-old Mithali Ayodhya and New Zealand’s Rosemary Mair all went unsold at their respective base prices.
Titas, a member of India’s Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2023, has previously played for Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants but has faced injury concerns. Rosemary was part of New Zealand’s squad that won the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024.
Capped spinners also struggled to attract interest. Leg-spinner Priya Mishra, who made her India debut in 2024 and has represented Gujarat Giants, went unsold. Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, who impressed during her debut WPL season with Mumbai Indians in 2023 before earning opportunities with India, also failed to secure a contract.
South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba, the first player from her country to go under the hammer during the day, was another name left unsold.
One of the most notable omissions was veteran leg-spinner Asha Sobhana. She was part of RCB’s title-winning team in 2024 but missed the 2025 season through injury. In the 2026 auction, UP Warriorz signed her for Rs 1.1 crore following a competitive bidding battle. This time, however, she attracted no bids at her base price of Rs 30 lakh.
Several other players also went unsold, including Purvaja Verlekar, former UP Warriorz batter Vrinda Dinesh, former RCB player Gautami Naik, former Mumbai Indians batter Humaira Kazi and Shweta Sehrawat, who was UP Warriorz’s only retention ahead of the 2026 WPL auction.
Players who remain unsold could still be considered during the accelerated rounds later in the auction.
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