WPL Mega Auction 2026: Deepti Sharma’s Record ₹3.2 Cr Bid Ignites Women’s Cricket Revolution – Inside the Billion-Rupee Business Powering India’s FemCricket Boom!
The WPL 2026 Mega Auction in New Delhi created history when Deepti Sharma was sold for a record ₹3.2 crore to UP Warriorz, making her the most expensive Indian player ever in the Women’s Premier League. With a total spend of ₹40.80 crore across 67 players and Smriti Mandhana retained at ₹3.40 crore by RCB, the five-franchise league — owned by Reliance, Adani, JSW, Diageo and Capri Global — continues its explosive growth. Valued at ₹1,275 crore in 2025, WPL operates on BCCI’s central-revenue model (₹951 crore media rights + ₹1,000+ crore sponsorships) that guarantees 45–50% revenue share to franchises while auctioneer Mallika Sagar, the first woman to conduct IPL/WPL auctions, once again stole the show with her flawless handling of high-voltage bidding wars.
