The WPL 2026 mega-auction witnessed plenty of bidding wars and value picks, with several franchises walking away with smart, cost-effective signings that strengthened their squads without affecting their purse. While most attention was drawn toward the big buys, a few players were also acquired at reasonable prices despite having significant performances.
Many of these players came off consistent domestic performances and big-match returns, making them smart assets for the season ahead. What made
these signings true steals was not just their price but the balance they gave.
Here are three steal deals in WPL 2026 Auction
Kranti Goud
Young pacer Kranti Goud saw her former franchise, UP Warriorz, use their RTM card smartly to retain her at her base price of INR 50 lakh. The right-arm quick, who made her WPL debut only last season with six wickets in eight matches, has since gone on to be one of India’s most exciting talents. Her breakthrough came in May when she earned her maiden India call-up, followed by a sensational six-wicket haul against England in Chester-le-Street.
Goud carried that form into the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, where she picked up nine wickets in eight matches, including a match-winning 3/20 against Pakistan. Despite her impressive returns, she drew just one bid from Delhi Capitals before UPW brought her back.
Sophie Ecclestone
England's Sophie Ecclestone, who was picked by the UP Warriorz at the WPL 2026 auction, with the franchise using the RTM card to bring her back for just INR 85 lakh, is another player on this list. The England star surprisingly went for a low price even as she was expected to trigger a bidding war and get a multi-crore price. The left-arm spinner is one of the WPL’s most dependable bowlers, sitting among the league’s top wicket-takers with 36 scalps at an economy rate of 6.68 from 25 innings.
Her recent form was sensational as she scalped 16 wickets in seven matches during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. For UP W, reacquiring Ecclestone for INR 85 lakh was a massive bargain, especially after facing competition from RCB and Delhi Capitals, and then smartly using the RTM option.
Harleen Deol
Indian batter Harleen Deol was one of the standout steal deals of the WPL 2026 auction, with UP Warriorz securing her at her base price of INR 50 lakh. After being a consistent performer for Gujarat Giants across the last three seasons, Deol is GG’s third-highest run-scorer in WPL history, scoring 482 runs at an average of 30.12 and a strike rate of 115.58 in 20 matches.
In WPL 2025 alone, she scored 232 runs in nine games with one half-century. Her release by Gujarat was unexpected, given her value as a dependable middle-order batter and brilliant fielder. Securing Harleen at INR 50 lakh significantly strengthens UPW's batting unit.
