The WPL 2026 retention process concluded on 5 November 2025, before the mega auction happened later in the month on 27 November 2025. All five franchises — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz — locked in their retained and released players by the 5 PM IST deadline, offering a clear glimpse of their long-term vision.
WPL 2026 Retention
Each team entered the cycle with a ₹15 crore purse, but that figure shrank based on the number of players retained. With a slab-based retention structure and the introduction of the Right-to-Match (RTM) option, franchises faced a delicate balancing act between preserving core players and keeping auction flexibility. Scheduled for November 27 in New Delhi, the mega auction promised tougher calls, bolder strategies, and a fresh competitive reset across the league.
How many players were allowed to be retained?
As per the WPL 2026 regulations, franchises were allowed to retain a maximum of five players from their existing squads.
Retention Composition Rules:
- Up to three capped Indian players
- Up to two overseas players
- If a team retained five players, at least one had to be an uncapped Indian
This structure ensured that teams invested in Indian talent rather than over-dependence on overseas stars.
Retention Slab System
The WPL continued with a fixed slab-based valuation system for retained players. Instead of engaging in individual negotiations, franchises assigned their retained players to predefined salary slabs, which were then deducted from the franchise’s overall auction purse.
Retention Slabs:
- First retained player: ₹3.5 crore
- Second retained player: ₹2.5 crore
- Third retained player: ₹1.75 crore
- Fourth retained player: ₹1 crore
- Fifth retained player: ₹50 lakh
These deductions were fixed and applied regardless of a player’s current market value or previous auction price.
Retention-Based Purse Deductions
Each retention directly affected the remaining budget:
- Five retained players → ₹9.25 crore deducted
- Four retained players → ₹8.75 crore deducted
- Three retained players → ₹7.75 crore deducted
- Two retained players → ₹6 crore deducted
- One retained player → ₹3.5 crore deducted
Key Retentions of WPL 2026
Franchises focused on strong leaders, dependable players, and brand value while retaining.
Some of the most notable retained players by teams were:
- Harmanpreet Kaur — Mumbai Indians
- Smriti Mandhana — Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Jemimah Rodrigues — Delhi Capitals
- Ashleigh Gardner — Gujarat Giants
WPL 2026 Retained Players – Team-Wise List
- Harmanpreet Kaur — Mumbai Indians
- Smriti Mandhana — Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Jemimah Rodrigues — Delhi Capitals
- Ashleigh Gardner — Gujarat Giants
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Smriti Mandhana – ₹3.5 crore
- Richa Ghosh – ₹2.75 crore
- Ellyse Perry – ₹2 crore
- Shreyanka Patil – ₹60 lakh
Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Jemimah Rodrigues – ₹2.2 crore
- Shafali Verma – ₹2.2 crore
- Annabel Sutherland – ₹2.2 crore
- Marizanne Kapp – ₹2.2 crore
- Niki Prasad (Uncapped) – ₹50 lakh
Gujarat Giants (GG)
- Ashleigh Gardner – ₹3.5 crore
- Beth Mooney – ₹2.5 crore
UP Warriorz (UPW)
Shweta Sehrawat (Uncapped) – ₹50 lakh