The Delhi Capitals on Thursday announced their list of retained and released players as they prepare for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction. In a surprising move, the franchise decided to release Australian star Meg Lanning, who captained the team to three back-to-back finals but narrowly missed out on the championship title.
The Capitals confirmed the retention of Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, and Niki Prasad, forming the core around which the team will rebuild for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, several prominent players — including Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jess Jonassen, and Radha Yadav — have also been released ahead of the auction.
🏆 A New Chapter After Three Consecutive Finals
Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, both fresh from India’s World Cup-winning campaign, were standout performers in the semi-finals and finals, reinforcing Delhi Capitals’ decision to retain them as key pillars of their squad.
In an official statement, the franchise said:
“This decision reflects the franchise’s commitment to maintaining continuity and consistency while building a competitive, dynamic squad. The management, coaching staff, and analysts have worked tirelessly to assess performances and contributions, ensuring the team is positioned for sustained success.”
💬 Team Management on the Retention Decisions
Parth Jindal, Co-owner of Delhi Capitals and Founder of JSW Sports, shared his thoughts on the decision-making process:
“Letting go of players from such a consistent, high-performing squad is never easy, but that’s the challenge of a mega auction. Although we narrowly missed lifting the trophy, we’re immensely proud of what this group has achieved.”
He added:
“We’re very satisfied with our retentions. Jemi, Shafali, Marizanne, Annabel, and Niki form a strong core for us to build around. My best wishes to all players — retained and released — for the next phase of their careers.”
Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman and Co-owner, praised the team’s consistency:
“The WPL has been an incredible journey for women’s cricket in India. We’ve reached every final so far and set high standards of professionalism. As we move into the new cycle, our focus remains on nurturing existing talent and building a squad that can finally bring home the trophy.”
Jonathan Batty, Head Coach of Delhi Capitals, expressed both pride and optimism:
“It’s always tough to release players after sharing such a successful journey. But that’s the reality of a competitive league like the WPL. We’re happy with our retained players and excited to build a balanced team around them.”
📅 What’s Next: The WPL 2026 Mega Auction
The WPL 2026 Mega Auction is scheduled to take place in the last week of November 2025. Delhi Capitals will once again look to reinforce their squad with the right mix of domestic and international talent to aim for their first-ever WPL title.
The Delhi Capitals remain the only franchise to have reached the final in all editions of the tournament so far.
📝 Retained and Released Players
Retained Players:
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Shafali Verma
- Marizanne Kapp
- Annabel Sutherland
- Niki Prasad
Released Players:
- Meg Lanning
- Sneha Deepthi
- Alice Capsey
- Arundhati Reddy
- Jess Jonassen
- Minnu Mani
- N Charani
- Shikha Pandey
- Nandini Kashyap
- Sarah Bryce
- Taniyaa Bhatia
- Radha Yadav
- Titas Sadhu