Five Stars Unsold at WPL 2027 Auction, Including Dunkley

Five notable players walked away from the WPL 2027 mini auction without a contract, even as the event produced some big-money deals.

The auction, held in Kochi on Wednesday, saw Australia's Sophie Molineux become the most expensive player. UP Warriorz bought her for 1.10 crore rupees.

The list of unsold players begins with England's Sophia Dunkley. Many analysts had expected her to be among the costliest signings. Instead, no franchise made a bid for her. Her base price was 50 lakh rupees.

Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lankan captain and all-rounder, was also left out. Her 2026 T20 international numbers were impressive: 750 runs from 22 matches at a strike rate of 145, along with 27 wickets. She set a base price of 30 lakh rupees, but franchises showed no interest.

Heather Graham, a bowling all-rounder for Australia, also failed to find a buyer. She is known for her death-over bowling and her contributions with the bat, and she has a strong record in the Women's Big Bash League. Her base price was 30 lakh rupees.

Uma Chhetry, from the Indian side that won the 2025 ODI World Cup, went unsold as well. She was the only player from that champion squad who was not bought by any team in WPL 2027. Her base price was 30 lakh rupees.

Rounding out the list is Saika Ishaque, who impressed for Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026. She had been seen as a possible big-money target, but she went unsold. Her base price was 30 lakh rupees.