The WPL Mega Auction 2026 started off with the kind of excitement that most people would get much later in the day, and centre stage in all this was Deepti Sharma. The moment her name was announced, the air shifted; teams knew they were bidding for a player that brings balance, reliability and match awareness every time she walks on the field. As the numbers continued to increase, it felt as though Indian cricket was about to witness a new record. Deepti was on course to break the price tag that has been put on the top level of the Women’s Premier League since its inception. For a few minutes, the room at the auction was convinced that the title of most expensive WPL player would finally change hands.
But auctions tend to have a life of their own. Just when it looked like the bidding momentum would take her past the historic mark, her previous franchise stepped in with a tactical Right to Match. The move immediately brought the battle to a halt and drew Deepti back into familiar colours, stopping her just short of breaking the all-time record. It was a moment that summed up the unpredictable drama of auctions — the players hold their emotions in, the franchises play chess and it can twist in a second.
The interest she attracted was hardly surprising. Deepti’s value had increased due to the type of cricket she has played over the last year – steady, composed and influential in all the formats. Teams weren’t simply bidding for an all-rounder, they were bidding for someone who can settle a chase, control a tricky over and offer balance in middle phase of a match. Her performances have made her a ready-made solution for any team looking for impact players and that is why multiple franchises stretched their limits to bring her onboard.
Even though the record first set by Smriti Mandhana can’t be broken, Deepti’s near-miss didn’t feel like a loss. If anything, it strengthened her rising stature in the WPL ecosystem. A competitive bidding war, a strategic RTM and a price that indicates her increasing importance – all of it a sign of the trust teams now place in her. She may not have come out as the most expensive player in the league’s history, but she sure walked off as one of the biggest stories this year’s auction.
In the larger picture, Deepti’s journey at the auction shows how the women’s game is evolving. The players who deliver time after time in tough situations are being priced at a level the league has never previously seen. And if her upward graph continues, her record that she narrowly missed this year may not remain out of reach for long.
