New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Australia’s big-hitting batting all-rounder Grace Harris could walk away as the most expensive player at the WPL 2027 auction, with cash-rich UP Warriorz well placed to make a big play for her, said former India men’s batter Aakash Chopra.
All five franchises will look to fill the remaining slots in their squads at the auction starting at 5:30pm in Kochi on October 28, with Indian wicketkeeper-batters and overseas all-rounders expected to be the most sought-after.
Teams can have a maximum of 18 players in their squad, including six from overseas. In all, 27 slots will be filled on the auction day, including seven overseas spots. Grace was a member of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team winning WPL 2026, where she made 237 runs in nine innings.
“I think Grace Harris would be the most expensive player at this smaller auction. Of course, in a small auction, the player availability is limited. Demand also won’t be very high because most teams have held on to their main players.
“But I still feel that the kind of batter she is and contributes with the ball as well, she could be in demand. Who has the biggest purse? It is UP Warriorz once again. So, if the UP Warriorz are keen, I feel she could be the most expensive player at this auction,” said Chopra to JioStar.
Chopra also tipped Mumbai Indians to chase India’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Sneh Rana, who was released by Delhi Capitals, citing a gap in the home-grown spin bowling options of the two-time champions.
“I am thinking Mumbai Indians could go for her because they lack Indian spinners. If you look at their track record, there has been a lot of focus on Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr in the spin department. One year, we saw Saika Ishaque do a very good job, but she is no longer part of the team.
“From that perspective, I feel they do not have very good Indian spin quality, and Sneh Rana, in my opinion, brings a lot of experience. Mumbai Indians are also the kind of franchise that values experience. Jhulan Goswami is there, and I think she will recognise Sneh Rana’s contribution and ability,” added Chopra.
–IANS
nr/
