Delhi Capitals Praise Meticulous Planning After Auction Success

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Auction was an exciting occasion for the Delhi Capitals (DC), who put together a strong and well-rounded team for the forthcoming campaign.

After keeping Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, the Delhi Capitals added N. Shree Charani and Sneh Rana to their roster, strengthening their Indian core even further. This brings the total number of players from India’s most recent World Cup victory to four.

Laura Wolvaardt, the captain of South Africa, who was purchased for Rs 1.10 crore, will also be joining the team. With 571 runs in 9 games, she ended as the tournament’s top run scorer and guided her team to a second-place finish in the ODI World Cup. She has appeared in 13 WPL games and scored 342 runs.

Chinelle Henry was also acquired by the franchise at Rs 1.3 crore. With 65 WT20Is, 522 runs, and 22 wickets under her belt, the dynamic West Indies all-rounder is renowned for her power hitting and finishing skills. She is a deadly addition to the DC squad and boasts the joint-fastest fifty in the WPL.

After a fierce bidding war, N. Shree Charani, who made her WPL debut with the Delhi Capitals the previous season, was re-acquired for Rs 1.3 crore. She took 14 wickets at the ODI World Cup, making her one of India’s most impressive bowlers. In addition to being acquired for Rs 50 lakh, Sneh Rana produced vital all-around performances during India’s championship run.

After making these significant purchases, the Delhi Capitals struck a balance between youth and experience by paying Rs 30 lakh for former South African opener Lizelle Lee and Rs 10 lakh for 16-year-old Deeya Yadav, a remarkable batting talent from Haryana.

Minnu Mani (Rs 40 Lakh) and Taniya Bhatia (Rs 30 Lakh) were later acquired by the Delhi Capitals. Since the first edition, the wicketkeeper-batter and bowler has been a member of the squad.

Young talents Mamatha Madiwala (Rs 10 Lakh), Nandani Sharma (Rs 20 Lakh), and Lucy Hamilton (Rs 10 Lakh) were signed by the Delhi Capitals for their base salaries, making them fascinating additions as well.

Head Coach Jonathan Batty commented on the squad’s composition, saying, “I’m really pleased with what DC have done.” We constructed the remainder of the team around the five solid retentions we brought in. We now have a really strong starting eleven, and I’m thrilled that we were able to acquire those excellent Indian spinners. We knew it would be difficult, but getting them across the finish line was a huge plus for us.”

As I leave the table today, I believe we’re in a great position. The group has a number of capable candidates for leadership roles. Many people enquired about leadership when we announced the retentions, particularly after we made the difficult decision to let Meg leave. We did make an effort to get her back in the auction. However, we are aware that the team already has several leaders,” he continued.

Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal stated,

“We obviously did everything we could to get Meg, but we have a fantastic player in Laura who can step in for her. She was the World Cup’s top run scorer and will be a valuable addition to the team because of her leadership abilities. We’re particularly thrilled about our improved spin attack, which now includes Sneh Rana and Shree Charani. The group appears to be well-balanced now that Henry has joined.

“Now that we’ve made it to three finals, it’s time to advance. The staff performed our preparations flawlessly, and everything proceeded as planned. Our scouting network has once again found both domestic and international talent that will have a significant influence, and the Delhi Capitals have a history of discovering players who go on to become superstars for India. We’re thrilled about what the new players will bring to the table, and we all seen what Shree Charani accomplished last year. She is now a superstar for Team India,” he said.

The entire Delhi Capitals team for the 2026 WPL