Top 5 players who might go unsold in WPL Auction 2027

The WPL 2027 auction is set to take place on October 28, 2026, in Kochi, Kerala, with 146 registered players competing for just 27 vacant squad positions across the five franchises.

Of those 27 slots, 20 are reserved for Indian players and seven for overseas players. The pool includes 119 Indian players — 22 capped and 97 uncapped — alongside 27 overseas players, six of whom represent Associate Nations. With demand far outstripping supply, several players face a real risk of going unsold.

1. G. Kamalini

G. Kamalini carries perhaps the highest unsold risk in the entire pool, despite being one of the more exciting young Indian wicketkeeper-batters in the auction. The 18-year-old was released by Mumbai Indians and enters the auction with a base price of ₹40 lakh, which places her in the second-highest reserve bracket alongside established international players.

For a relatively inexperienced player, that price tag creates immediate pressure. The bigger concern, however, is availability. Kamalini is expected to feature in India’s Under-19 World Cup squad, with the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup running from January 21 to February 6, 2027. That window overlaps almost entirely with WPL 2027, which is scheduled from January 14 to February 7, 2027. Reports have connected Mumbai Indians’ decision to release her to this potential scheduling conflict. If she misses most or all of the season, franchises may be reluctant to spend ₹40 lakh on a player who cannot strengthen the XI immediately.

2. Asha Sobhana

Asha Sobhana enters the WPL 2027 auction after being released by UP Warriorz, with a base price of ₹30 lakh. The experienced Indian leg-spinner is 35 years old, which places her firmly in the category of short-term purchases rather than long-term squad investments.

With only 27 slots to be filled across the league, franchises tend to favour younger spinners who can serve the squad across multiple seasons while offering similar or greater upside. Leg-spin is a specialised skill, but WPL teams already have several established spin options available. Asha’s value depends heavily on conditions and whether a franchise can guarantee her a clear first-choice role. If teams view her as a backup spinner rather than a certain starter, the ₹30 lakh reserve becomes difficult to justify. The combination of her age, released status and competition in the spin market makes her one of the stronger candidates to go unsold.

3. Annerie Dercksen

Annerie Dercksen is a promising South African all-rounder, but her auction prospects are shaped largely by the extreme scarcity of overseas slots. With only seven overseas positions available across the entire league, franchises must be highly selective. Teams are more likely to direct those slots towards proven WPL performers, elite batters or specialist bowlers with immediate match-winning impact.

Dercksen’s relatively limited WPL track record leaves her vulnerable, even if her skill set holds long-term value. Her seam-bowling all-rounder profile does add squad flexibility, but franchises may question whether she contributes enough with either bat or ball to justify an overseas slot ahead of a more established name. In a 27-slot auction, useful players often lose out to essential ones, and Dercksen currently carries more of a developmental than an indispensable profile. That makes her a realistic unsold candidate if teams prioritise certainty over potential.

4. Orla Prendergast

Orla Prendergast is a capable Irish all-rounder with international experience, but she faces the same structural challenge as Dercksen: too many overseas players competing for too few overseas slots. At a base price of ₹30 lakh, she is not prohibitively expensive, but franchises must still decide whether she represents better value than the established overseas all-rounders and specialists also available in the auction.

In a market where every overseas signing reduces flexibility elsewhere, the comparison is unforgiving. Prendergast’s batting and bowling versatility gives her a case, but versatility alone may not be sufficient. Teams in short-format leagues often prefer a clear specialist identity — a powerplay hitter, a death-overs bowler or a proven finisher. If franchises see her as a balanced but non-elite option, they may choose to preserve their overseas slots for bigger names. Prendergast’s unsold risk is therefore moderate rather than extreme, but still significant in a congested auction.

5. Shweta Sehrawat

Shweta Sehrawat is the lowest-risk player among these five, primarily because her base price of ₹10 lakh makes her an affordable, low-commitment option for any franchise. The young Indian top-order batter was released by UP Warriorz after scoring just 46 runs in seven games in 2026, but her age and domestic pedigree mean teams could still view her as a worthwhile developmental signing.

In an auction where purse management matters, a ₹10 lakh investment is far easier to justify than a ₹30 lakh to ₹40 lakh gamble. However, Sehrawat is not completely safe. Indian batting talent is deeply crowded in this pool, and franchises may prefer players with more distinctive skills — such as explosive power-hitting, wicketkeeping ability or proven finishing. Sehrawat’s release from UP Warriorz suggests her previous franchise did not see an immediate first-team role for her. If teams fill their Indian batting slots with cheaper or more specialised options, she could still miss out despite her low reserve price.