When the retentions ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auctions were announced by all five teams on Thursday, one side stood out from the rest. The UP Warriorz, who have not made the Playoffs cut in the last two editions, decided to retain only one player – uncapped batter Shweta Sehrawat – for Rs 50 lakh.
It meant that while they would enter the auction with four Right to Match (RTM) cards, they would also need to rebuild their squad entirely almost from scratch in a bid to win their maiden title in the following or upcoming seasons.
“When it comes to retentions, it’s always difficult because you’re dealing with world-class players and leaders in their own right. The idea from the franchise was to start afresh, have more money available in the purse, and build a team that can go all the way,” head coach Abhishek Nayar told JioStar.
A notable omission from the retention list was that of 2025 Women’s World Cup Player of the tournament Deepti Sharma, who played 25 matches for the franchise over three seasons and scored 507 runs and took 27 wickets.
Nayar said omitting big names from retentions was not an easy decision, but they have a process in place that they believe in fully.
“These calls are never easy, but we believe in our process. The goal now is to go into the auction with intent, make smart decisions, and put together a side capable of winning the title,” he said.
Some of the big international names released by Warriorz include Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath and Sophie Ecclestone. Healy did not play for the franchise in the WPL 2025 due to a stress injury on her right foot. Deepti captained the franchise in her place during that season, in which they finished in fifth place with six points in eight matches.
