‘Everything went to plan’ – Delhi Capitals’ leadership credits meticulous planning for WPL 2026 auction win

The Delhi Capitals (DC) had a successful performance in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Auction, assembling a vibrant and well-balanced roster for the coming season.

After retaining Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, the Delhi Capitals strengthened their Indian core by recruiting N. Shree Charani and Sneh Rana, giving the side four players from India’s recent World Cup victory.

Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa’s captain, will also join the team after being acquired for Rs 1.10 crore. She led her team to second place in the ODI World Cup and scored the most runs in the event (571 in 9 matches). She has played 13 WPL matches and scored 342 runs.

The franchise also paid Rs 1.3 crore for Chinelle Henry. The dynamic West Indian allrounder, noted for her power hitting and finishing abilities, has a plethora of experience with 65 WT20Is, 522 runs, and 22 wickets. She also has the joint-fastest fifty in the WPL, making her a dangerous addition to the DC squad.

N. Shree Charani, who made her WPL debut with the Delhi Capitals last season, was re-signed for Rs 1.3 crore following a heated bidding war. She was one of India’s star bowlers at the ODI World Cup, taking 14 wickets. Sneh Rana, who was signed for Rs 50 lakh, also provided key all-round performances during India’s title-winning campaign.

Following these important additions, the Delhi Capitals balanced experience and youth by acquiring former South African opener Lizelle Lee for Rs 30 lakh and Deeya Yadav, a 16-year-old exceptional batting potential from Haryana, for Rs 10 lakh.

Taniya Bhatia and Minnu Mani were re-signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh, respectively. The wicketkeeper-batsman and bowler have been with the team since the first edition.

Delhi Capitals have made interesting acquisitions, signing promising talents Mamatha Madiwala (Rs 10 lakh), Nandani Sharma (Rs 20 lakh), and Lucy Hamilton (Rs 10 lakh) for base salaries.

Speaking on the make-up of the squad, Head Coach Jonathan Batty said,

“I’m really pleased with what DC have done. We came in with five strong retentions and built the rest of the team around that. We’ve now got a very strong starting eleven, and I’m absolutely delighted that we secured those high-quality Indian spinners, we knew it would be tough, so getting them over the line was a big positive for us.”

“Walking away from the table today, I think we’re in a really good place. There are several strong leadership candidates in the group. When we announced the retentions, a lot of people asked about leadership, especially after letting Meg go, which was a really tough decision, and we did try to get her back in the auction. But we know we already have a lot of leaders within the squad,” he added.

Parth Jindal, co-owner of Delhi Capitals, said,

“Obviously, we went as far as we could for Meg, but in Laura, we’ve secured a tremendous player who can fill those shoes. She was the highest run-scorer in the recent World Cup and brings leadership qualities that will make her a great addition to the dressing room. We’re also very excited about our strengthened spin attack with Shree Charani and Sneh Rana. With Henry joining us, the squad looks extremely balanced.”

“We’ve reached three finals, and it’s time to go one step further. Everything went to plan, and the team executed our preparations perfectly. Delhi Capitals have a history of unearthing players who go on to become superstars for India, and our scouting network has once again identified both foreign and domestic talent who will make a real impact. We all saw what Shree Charani did last year; she’s now a superstar for Team India, and we’re excited about what the new additions bring to the table,” he concluded.

Delhi Capitals full squad for WPL 2026