New Delhi: Five teams will be battling for glory when the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) gets underway on Friday, January 09. A lot
has changed in the last few months, as nearly all five franchises wear a fresh look, having rejigged their respective squads at the auction last year. There have been leadership changes and the addition of new personnel as teams look to give their all for the elusive trophy.
Into its fourth season, WPL has proven to be a massive success for Indian women’s cricket. The league has given the young, talented women’s cricketers from all parts of the country the opportunity to rub shoulders with the best players in the world and learn from them while sharing dressing rooms. Some of arguably the finest cricketers from around the globe will once again be in action in the WPL 2026.
While there are some big names missing this season, with the likes of Ellyse Perry and Anabel Sutherland pulling out due to personal reasons, there is still enough overseas firepower, distributed among the five teams. As much as it is imperative to have a strong Indian core, a good combination of overseas players has often proved to be the difference between top and bottom teams.
Here’s a look at five overseas players to watch out for in WPL 2026:
Laura Wolvaardt (Delhi Capitals)
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt enjoyed a terrific campaign in the Women’s ODI World Cup last year, where she finished as the highest run-getter with an impressive 571 runs in 9 matches at an average of over 71 and a strike rate close to 99.
Wolvaardt was roped in by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.10 crore in the WPL 2026 auction last year and is likely to open the batting for the side with Shafali Verma in the upcoming season. With Wolvaardt’s experience and skills, and Shafali’s flamboyance, the duo can prove to be a destructive opening pair in the league this season.
Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants)
Ashleigh Gardner was retained by Gujarat Giants ahead of the upcoming season and will continue to lead the team in WPL 2026. One of the best all-rounders in women’s cricket at present, Gardner has been with the Giants since the inaugural edition of the WPL in 2023 and has been one of their best players in the league.
She has amassed 567 runs and picked up 25 wickets in 25 matches in her WPL career, but has failed to inspire the Giants to their maiden title. The Aussie all-rounder will be hoping to bring an end to her side’s trophy drought by leading from the front in the upcoming season.
Amelia Kerr
New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr returned to the Mumbai Indians at the WPL 2026 auction for a huge sum of Rs 3 crore. However, her high price tag was fully justified as she has played an instrumental role in MI’s twin title triumphs in the first three seasons of the WPL.
Kerr has played 29 matches for the Mumbai Indians over the course of three seasons and has 437 runs to her name at a strike rate of 119.40, and a staggering 40 wickets in 29 matches in the WPL. She will be hoping to continue her fine form with the bat and the ball for MI in the upcoming season.
Nadine De Klerk (RCB)
South Africa all-rounder Nadine De Klerk also enjoyed a great run in the Women’s ODI World Cup last year. She scored 208 runs at a strike rate of over 131 and picked up 9 wickets in the tournament to help South Africa reach the final, where they lost to India.
A prolific six-hitter and a reliable all-rounder, De Klerk smashed 10 sixes in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, the second-most, behind only her RCB teammate Richa Ghosh. De Clerk is likely to bat in the middle order for RCB in the WPL 2026 and will be hoping to terrorise bowlers with her big hits alongside Ghosh.
Phoebe Litchfield (UP Warriorz)
Australia opener Phoebe Litchfield is one of the most highly-rated young batters in women’s cricket at present. She was roped in by the UP Warriorz for a sum of Rs 1.20 crore in the WPL 2026 auction and is likely to open for the franchise, which let go of Alyssa Healy at the top.
A technically solid batter, Litchfield is known for her ability to pierce gaps and his innovative strokeplay. She was part of the Gujarat Giants in the last two seasons, but didn’t enjoy much success at the franchise, with only 199 runs in 14 matches. However, she will be hoping to revive her WPL career with the UP Warriorz.
