UP Warriorz Surprise Everyone by Releasing 6 Big Names Ahead of WPL 2027 Auction

The UP Warriorz retained and released players WPL 2027 list is out, and the franchise has made some interesting calls ahead of the upcoming player auction.

UP Warriorz had another disappointing campaign in WPL 2026. Despite having a squad that looked strong on paper, they finished at the bottom of the points table. The Meg Lanning-led side managed only two wins from eight league matches.

Head coach Abhishek Nayar has now indicated that the franchise wants to reshape the squad and build a batting unit capable of competing with the increasing number of 200-plus totals in the WPL.

While UP Warriorz have kept several members of their core, they have also moved on from some established Indian and overseas players.

UP Warriorz Retained Players List For WPL 2027

The retained group is led by Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone and Shikha Pandey.

The salaries are based on the players’ WPL 2026 auction and retention values. Deepti was UP Warriorz’s most expensive acquisition at ₹3.20 crore, while Shikha Pandey cost ₹2.40 crore and Lanning was bought for ₹1.90 crore.

UP Warriorz Keep Their Main Core Intact

UP Warriorz have decided to continue with some of their biggest names despite a disappointing WPL 2026 season.

Deepti Sharma remains one of the most important Indian players in the squad. UPW used the Right to Match option to bring her back for ₹3.20 crore at the 2026 mega auction.

Shikha Pandey was another major investment at ₹2.40 crore. Her experience with the new ball and ability to contribute lower down the order gives the franchise an important Indian option.

Meg Lanning also remains at the heart of the setup. The Australian great captained UP Warriorz in WPL 2026 and finished as their leading run-scorer with 248 runs from eight matches.

Sophie Ecclestone And Phoebe Litchfield Retained

Sophie Ecclestone remains one of the biggest names in the UP Warriorz bowling attack. The England left-arm spinner was brought back for ₹85 lakh at the previous auction.

Phoebe Litchfield has also been retained after an impressive WPL 2026 campaign.

The Australian left-hander scored 243 runs in six matches before a quad injury ended her season. At the time she was ruled out, Litchfield was UP Warriorz’s leading run-scorer and among the tournament’s leading batters.

England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones subsequently joined UPW as Litchfield’s injury replacement for ₹50 lakh.

UP Warriorz Overseas Players Retained For WPL 2027

UP Warriorz currently have four overseas names in this retained group.

Lanning brings leadership and top-order experience, while Litchfield provides a young left-handed attacking option.

Ecclestone remains their main overseas spin option, while Norris gives UP Warriorz a left-arm pace option.

UP Warriorz Released Players List For WPL 2027

The released list is where UP Warriorz have made some of their biggest calls.

Kiran Navgire, Chloe Tryon, Deandra Dottin, Amy Jones, Asha Sobhana and Shweta Sehrawat have all been released ahead of the WPL 2027 auction.

Amy Jones’s ₹50 lakh figure requires some context. She was not part of UP Warriorz’s original WPL 2026 auction squad. The England wicketkeeper-batter was signed for ₹50 lakh in January after Litchfield was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Kiran Navgire Released After Difficult WPL 2026

Kiran Navgire’s release is one of UP Warriorz’s biggest Indian calls.

She had been part of the franchise since the inaugural WPL season and built a reputation as a fearless power-hitter. UPW also used their Right to Match option to buy her back for ₹60 lakh at the 2026 mega auction.

However, WPL 2026 was a difficult campaign for Navgire. She scored only 16 runs from six matches, averaging 2.67 with a strike rate of 66.67.

With UP Warriorz looking for more consistency and firepower in their batting order, they have decided to move in a different direction.

Deandra Dottin And Chloe Tryon Released

UP Warriorz have also made major changes to their overseas combination by releasing Deandra Dottin and Chloe Tryon.

Dottin was bought for ₹80 lakh at the WPL 2026 auction. The West Indies star offered UPW power-hitting and seam bowling, but the franchise has decided not to continue with her for the next season.

Tryon was acquired for ₹30 lakh and scored 85 runs from five matches in WPL 2026 at a strike rate above 150. She also picked up two wickets.

Despite those numbers, her release gives UP Warriorz another overseas slot to work with at the auction.

Asha Sobhana Released Despite ₹1.10 Crore Price

Asha Sobhana is another notable name on the released list.

UP Warriorz spent ₹1.10 crore on the Indian leg-spinner at the WPL 2026 mega auction, making her one of their bigger investments.

The franchise has now decided to release her after just one season.

Her departure should give UP Warriorz additional purse flexibility as they look to reshape their squad.

Shweta Sehrawat Released One Year After Being UPW’s Only Retention

Shweta Sehrawat’s release is particularly interesting.

Before the WPL 2026 mega auction, UP Warriorz retained only Shweta for ₹50 lakh. The rest of the squad was rebuilt through the auction.

One season later, the young Indian batter has been released.

She scored 46 runs from seven matches in WPL 2026, and the franchise will now have the opportunity to look at other domestic batting options.

UP Warriorz Need More Batting Firepower

The retention decisions give a clear indication of where UP Warriorz could focus at the WPL 2027 auction.

Their established core still includes Lanning, Deepti, Ecclestone, Litchfield and Shikha. However, the releases of Navgire, Dottin and Tryon take considerable power-hitting out of the squad.

Head coach Abhishek Nayar has specifically spoken about the need for a squad revamp and a batting unit capable of competing in matches where teams are regularly pushing towards 200.

That makes an Indian power-hitter and an overseas finisher two areas UPW could look to strengthen.

The release of Amy Jones could also make wicketkeeping depth another area to address at the auction.

UP Warriorz WPL 2027 Retained And Released Players At A Glance

Retained: Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield, Shikha Pandey, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh and Tara Norris.

Released: Kiran Navgire, Chloe Tryon, Amy Jones, Deandra Dottin, Asha Sobhana and Shweta Sehrawat.

Among the released players, Dottin, Tryon and Jones are overseas cricketers, while Navgire, Asha and Shweta are Indian players.

When Is The WPL 2027 Auction?

The WPL 2027 player auction is scheduled for October 28, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi.

The fifth season of the Women’s Premier League will be played from January 14 to February 7, 2027.

UP Warriorz now have an important auction ahead of them.

After consecutive bottom-place finishes, simply keeping a strong-looking squad together was unlikely to be enough. The UP Warriorz retained and released players WPL 2027 list shows that the franchise is ready to make changes while still building around Lanning, Deepti, Ecclestone, Litchfield and Shikha.

The next step is finding the right players around that core and building a more balanced batting unit for WPL 2027.