WPL 2026 dates announced during mega auction; Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium among venues

The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League will be taking place from 9 January to 5 February with the Navi Mumbai and Baroda confirmed as the two venues for this edition. The dates for the opening match and the final as well as the venues were announced during the mega auction for the fourth WPL season in New Delhi on Thursday.

The inaugural season of the women’s version of the Indian Premier League in 2023 had been hosted in Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium and at the neighbouring DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The action would then move to Bengaluru and Delhi in the following season – with the M Chinnaswamy Stadium hosting the first half of the season including the opening match and the Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting the second half, including the final.

The tournament had then expanded to four cities last year, with Vadodara and Lucknow hosting WPL matches for the first time and the remaining matches taking place in Bengaluru and Mumbai – the latter hosting the playoffs.

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The WPL, which is the richest T20 league in the world in the women’s game, has returned to the two-city model for the upcoming season. The DY Patil Stadium – which had recently hosted a semi-final as well the final in the ICC Women’s World Cup, will host the opening game on 9 January and the first half of the season.

Navi Mumbai, Baroda to host WPL matches for the second time

The action will then shift to the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, a.k.a the Kotambi Stadium, in Vadodara for the remaining matches, including the final on 5 February.

The auction, meanwhile, witnessed India all-rounder Deepti Sharma nearly break Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana’s record as the most expensive player in WPL history.

Deepti, who had been adjudged the Player of the Tournament in the recent World Cup, in which India defeated South Africa in the final to win their maiden global title, was bought by UP Warriorz for Rs 3.2 crore from Delhi Capitals after the former decided to use a Right To Match card for their former captain.

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Other players who have fetched major bids so far are New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine, who were bought by Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants for Rs 3 crore and Rs 2 crore respectively.

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning, who had led Delhi Capitals to the WPL final in each of the previous three seasons only to finish runners-up every time, went to UPW for Rs 1.9 crore.

However, there were no takers for Australia wicketkeeper-captain Alyssa Healy and her spin-bowling teammate Alana King, or for South African opener Tazmin Brits.