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The UP Warriorz (UPW) have executed a massive strategic reset ahead of the , retaining only uncapped Indian batter Shweta Sehrawat. This bold move leaves them with the largest auction purse of INR 14.5 crore and a crucial advantage of four Right-to-Match (RTM) cards. Their strategy will not just be about buying new players, but about using the RTMs on their released stars to secure them at market price, saving the fixed retention costs, and then filling key gaps using the remaining purse. Here are 5 key players (a mix of RTM priorities and new targets) the UP Warriorz should aggressively pursue in the WPL 2026 Mega Auction:
5 players UP Warriorz can target in WPL 2026 Mega Auction
UP Warriorz’s primary goal will be to re-establish a stable leadership and world-class bowling spine.
1. Deepti Sharma (RTM Priority – All-Round Control)
- Role: World-class Indian All-rounder (Off-Spin & Finisher)
- Why Target: is arguably the most valuable multi-phase Indian player in the auction. Her recent Player of the Tournament performance at the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 (215 runs and 22 wickets) proves her immense value. Releasing her was a financial strategy to save the fixed retention cost and use an RTM card to secure her at the final bid price. She is crucial for Indian leadership and both batting/bowling depth.
2. Sophie Ecclestone (RTM Priority – Bowling Spine)
- Role: World’s Best T20 Left-Arm Spinner
- Why Target: Ecclestone is the anchor of any bowling attack and a world-class operator. Her low economy rate and high wicket-taking ability are unmatched. Along with Deepti, she gives the Warriorz their core identity of controlling the middle overs with spin. Securing her with an RTM is vital to quickly reassemble their elite bowling attack.
3. Meg Lanning (New Overseas Captain – Leadership)
- Role: World-Class Batter & Proven WPL Captain
- Why Target: With their former captain, Alyssa Healy, also released and possibly going for a huge price, UPW should aggressively target Meg Lanning, who was surprisingly released by Delhi Capitals. Lanning is arguably the most successful captain in women’s cricket and led DC to three consecutive WPL finals. Her availability offers a massive opportunity to immediately instill a winning and structurally sound leadership culture into the squad.
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4. Pooja Vastrakar (Indian Pacer – Seam All-Rounder)
- Role: Indian Pace-Bowling All-rounder
- Why Target: UPW desperately needs an Indian fast-bowling presence to complement their spin strength. Pooja Vastrakar (released by Mumbai Indians) is a high-impact pace option who can hit 120+ kmph and is a capable lower-order power-hitter. She fills two key gaps, Indian pacer and Indian all-rounder, and is expected to command a premium price, but one UPW has the purse to afford.
5. Laura Wolvaardt (Overseas Opener/Batter – Top-Order Consistency)
- Role: Elegant Overseas Top-Order Batter
- Why Target: Released by Gujarat Giants, Laura Wolvaardt is in phenomenal form (notably, back-to-back centuries in the 2025 ODI World Cup semi-final and final). She provides the top-order stability and high-scoring potential that UPW often lacked. Paired with the retained Shweta Sehrawat, she can form a reliable and high-scoring opening/top-order partnership.
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This article was first published at , a Cricket Times company.
