The 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction list includes three promising Bangladeshi cricketers: pacer Marufa Akter, all-rounder Swarna Akter, and leg-spinner Rabeya Khan. Their participation highlights the growing presence of Bangladeshi players in international women’s franchise cricket.
This year, a total of 277 players registered for the auction, with only 73 slots available across five teams. The overseas quota is capped at 23, meaning each international player faces stiff competition, effectively battling three others for a single team spot. The auction list, released yesterday, shows that all three Bangladeshis have opted for a base price of 3 million rupees.
Players are divided into three categories: capped Indian, uncapped Indian, and capped overseas. Leading players include 19 cricketers with a 5 million rupee base price and 11 with a 4 million rupee base price. The 3 million rupee bracket is the largest, with 88 players, reflecting opportunities for emerging talent.
Internationally, Australia tops the list with 23 registered players, followed by England (22), New Zealand (13), South Africa (11), and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka contributing three each. Smaller representations come from the UAE, Thailand, and the United States. Eight players, including India’s Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh, have been designated as “mega-auction” players, with base prices ranging from 3 to 5 million rupees.
The WPL 2026 season, which will see five teams compete, is set to begin on 7 January and culminate with the final on 3 February. If selected, Marufa, Swarna, and Rabeya could make their franchise debuts, gaining invaluable experience while helping strengthen the global footprint of Bangladeshi women’s cricket. The auction will therefore be a crucial stepping stone in their careers.