The Women's Premier League 2026 is about to begin on January 9 as defending champions Mumbai Indians gear up to face 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Navi Mumbai.
The 28-day, 22-match WPL will be played across two venues: the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. This will be the first time that the WPL will be played in a January-February window, as the previous three editions were held in February–March.
The tournament will run till February 5, and it will also be the first time that the WPL final will not be held on a weekend and instead will take place on Thursday, to avoid its clash with the T20 World Cup that gets underway on February 7.
All teams will be looking to give their best for the tournament and will hope for their players to fire on all cylinders for them to get near to the glory. Here are five players to keep an eye on in the WPL 2026.
1 - Shafali Verma: Delhi Capitals' explosive opener Shafali is definitely one to keep an eye on. She was a late addition to the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 and played a Man of the Match-winning knock of 87 and also took a couple of wickets in the final.
She is a fearless batter with the ability to dismantle bowling attacks in the powerplay. When she gets going, she can change the course of a match within a few overs, making her one of the most dangerous batters in the league.
2 - Smriti Mandhana: Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana has also been in red-hot form in the last two years. She was the leading run-scorer in the ODI format in both 2024 and 2025.
Mandhana is an elegant left-hander batter who brings the wealth of experience, leadership, and consistency at the top of the order. Her calm presence and ability to play long, impactful innings have been central to RCB’s success, including their title-winning campaign.
3 - Deepti Sharma: UP Warriorz star all-rounder Deepti Sharma is also in brilliant form. She was the Player of the Tournament in the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 for having scored 215 runs and having taken 22 wickets.
Deepti is a reliable all-rounder and contributes across all departments with her smart off-spin, calm batting, and sharp fielding. Her game awareness and consistency make her indispensable, particularly in tight contests.
4 - Ashleigh Gardner: Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket. She will be one player to keep an eye on.
Garnder is a dynamic all-rounder and provides balance with her aggressive batting and effective off-spin. She is capable of turning games with quick runs or timely breakthroughs and remains one of the most influential overseas players in the WPL.
5 - Laura Wolvaardt: Roped in by Delhi Capitals, Wolvaardt will be crucial at the top of the order for her team. She also brings a wealth of leadership experience, which could be helpful for young and new captain Jemimah Rodrigues.
Wolvaardt is also known for her composure and textbook strokeplay. Wolvaardt brings stability to the batting lineup. She excels at anchoring innings while maintaining a healthy strike rate, making her crucial in chases and on tricky pitches.
