WPL 2026: Three franchises that can target Amelia Kerr in the mega auction

The mega auction for the Women's Premier League 2026 has had some shockers. Some of the biggest names in the league were not retained by their teams. The biggest surprise of all is that the Mumbai Indians (MI) have released Amelia Kerr (NZ).

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Amelia Kerr All-rounder

Amelia Kerr is a New Zealand international cricketer, who plays as a right-handed all-rounder.

In addition to being an outstanding all-rounder with her fast leg-spin and powerfully aggressive middle-order batting, Kerr is also a premier all-rounder and will be one of the most sought-after free agents during the auction. She has played a pivotal role in MI's success as one of MI's premier players and can finish off matches with the bat and be a game-changer with spinners. She is going to generate tremendous interest in the auction because of her T20 record and being named Player of the Tournament at the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup.

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UP WARRIORZ WOMEN Founded: 100

The UP Warriorz women's cricket team is led by captain Deepti Sharma, with a squad that includes experienced Indian players like Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Kiran Navgire, alongside international stars such as Sophie Ecclestone (England), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), and Tahlia McGrath (Australia).

UP Warriorz (UPW) are launching their new franchise under a complete rebuild, with only Shweta Sehrawat representing their existing roster. This gives them the largest budget of any team at ₹14.5 crores and four Right to Match (RTM) cards. With money to spend on whoever they like, UPW's position is strong. With UPW releasing almost all of their international players (Sophie Ecclestone & Alyssa Healy), there are two major holes within their set-up: the captaincy and marquee international player slot.

When considering the role Kerr can fill, her consistency with both bat and ball makes her the perfect cornerstone for UPW to build their future team around. She can fulfill two positions at once - she has the ability to anchor an innings, as well as finish an innings, and she is one of the best leg-spinners in the world. With that in mind, given the size of their rebuild, signing an established, world-class international all-rounder like Kerr who is capable of taking on an immediate leadership role would undoubtedly be a priority of UPW's decision-making team.

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DELHI CAPITALS WOMEN Founded: 2023

The Delhi Capitals Women are a professional women's cricket team competing in the Women's Premier League (WPL), based in New Delhi.

The Delhi Capitals continue to have five players in their keep, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad & Annabel Sutherland. One of the most notable absentees is Meg Lanning, who was their three-time finalist captain. The loss of Lanning as a specialist batter will create a void in overseas quality and stability for the team. With Kapp and Sutherland both being overseas pace-bowling all-rounders, there are no overseas players retained to fill Lanning's role.

Delhi Capitals have lost both Jess Jonassen and Radha Yadav so there are no overseas specialist spinners in their squad. The inclusion of Kerr solves this problem as she will provide the high-quality spin that DC requires on turning pitches to be successful, particularly in the middle overs. Additionally, having proven that she can perform in pressure situations with the bat, Kerr will be a vital component to maintaining the middle order's stability following Lanning's departure, especially as they look to challenge for success in the 2022 season.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Founded: 2023

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women is a professional cricket team in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will continue to benefit from their strong core. They have retained Captain Smriti Mandhana, Impact Player Richa Ghosh, and All-rounder Legends Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil. The core consists of a deep batting order and excellent pace bowling from Perry, along with Shreyanka's ability to bowl reliable and local off-spin, essential on Indian pitches. However, RCB has a problem with their one-dimensional bowling attack, their best bowlers are primarily spin bowlers.

If Kerr is added to RCB, with her leg-spin complementing Shreyanka’s off-spin, it would provide a balanced and aggressive spin combination during the middle overs. In addition, Kerr's reliable batting at the five or six spot would give RCB much-needed stability to end their innings, decreasing the pressure on the top four batsmen. RCB's competitive purse now stands at ₹6.15 crore, with one RTM card available (not applicable for Kerr), continues to give them a distinct competitive advantage and a position to strategically bid for a quality all-rounder.

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IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants Appoint Carl Crowe as Spin Bowling Coach Ahead of the 19th IPL season, teams are getting ready for the player auction to complete their squads.

by K D Mishra November 25, 2025