In a nail‑biter that had auction watchers on the edge, UP Warriorz finally outbid RCB to lock Aussie captain Sophie Molineux for Rs 1.10 crore. The deal swung from a Rs 50 lakh opening bid to a roaring Rs 95 lakh after RCB jumped back, then a Rs 1 crore push by UP, a Rs 1.05 crore counter, and a final Rs 1.10 crore seal.
Molineux, who led the 2024 title‑winning RCB side, brings a wealth of experience and an all‑round skill set that UP’s CEO Kshemal Waingankar says is “perfect foil” to captain Meg Lanning. “We were determined to get Sophie at any cost,” he told reporters, adding that pairing her with Grace Harris—who will be bought for Rs 30 lakh—could “tweak our combinations” for the season.
The auction didn’t stop at Molineux. UP also snatched Grace Harris for Rs 30 lakh, fetched wicketkeeper‑keeper Sushma Verma and off‑spinner Sneh Rana, and secured veteran Deccan stalwart Deepti Sharma. While RCB focused on a young India batter for Rs 40 lakh, UP’s strategy leaned heavily on seasoned campaigners, as coach Abhishek Nayar noted the shift from experimental line‑ups last season.
With the purse cap still looming, other franchises played it safe: Delhi Capitals paid Rs 75 lakh for Kiran Navgire, Gujarat Giants grabbed Gunalan Kamalini at Rs 40 lakh, and Sri Lankan Chamari Athapaththu went unsold. The biggest surprise, however, is that the auction still saw a focus on domestic talent, with MI buying two Vidarbha youngsters for Rs 10 lakh each.
Overall, UP’s haul positions the Warriorz as a serious contender for the WPL title, while RCB will look to rebuild around a new core. The next big test for UP will be their opening match against Gujarat Giants on October 15th, where the new Molineux‑Harris strike‑force will be put to the test.