The rules of the WPL Mega Auction have been revealed! The retention limit, RTM, of the panels has been officially confirmed

The upcoming edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has already started making headlines as franchises prepare for their first major player retention and mega auction. The city’s five franchise teams are likely to get a major revamp, as the BCCI will conduct the mega WPL auction ahead of next season.

As ESPNcricinfo reported, all five teams can retain up to five players from their current squads, and the deadline to announce those retentions is November 5. The mega auction is scheduled to take place between November 25 and 29, which promises a complete overhaul in their lineup.

WPL teams can retain up to 5 players before the mega auction

In an email to franchise owners, the Women’s Super League shared all instructions with the teams. The WPL sets clear rules on how many players can be retained. Each franchise can retain a maximum of three Indian players, two foreign players, and two uncapped Indian players.

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If a team chooses to retain five players, at least one of them must be an uncapped Indian. For the first time, franchises will also be allowed to use the Right to Match (RTM) option in the auction, which allows them to select a player who was part of their 2025 squad in the mega auction.

How will player retention impact teams’ auction portfolios?

The auction purse for each franchise has been set at INR 15 crore. The WPL has also provided indicative prices for retained players. Player 1 will be signed for just INR 3.5 Crores, Player 2 for INR 2.5 Crores, Player 3 for INR 1.75 Crores, Player 4 for INR 1 Crore, and Player 5 for INR 50 Lakhs.

If the team retains all five players, INR 9.25 crore will be deducted from their auction purse. Retaining four players will deduct INR 8.75 Crores, three players will deduct INR 7.75 Crores, two players INR 6 Crores, and keeping just one player will deduct INR 3.5 Crores.

Explaining the RTM strategy for the WPL Mega Auction

Interestingly, the RTM option is directly related to the number of players retained by teams. If a franchise keeps five players, it loses the RTM option entirely. Keeping four players leaves one RTM, three players leaves two RTMs, two players leaves three RTMs, and keeping only one player gives the team four RTMs at the auction table.

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However, WPL franchises can negotiate different retention amounts than the guideline boards, but any amount above the suggested board will be deducted from the auction purse. A minimum of INR 50 lakh has been set for uncapped Indian players, but the final amount could be higher depending on the agreements between the franchise and the player.

The BCCI has set deadlines for WPL retention and player registration

The Women’s Premier League has also set out the timeline for the pre-auction process. Retention lists must be submitted by November 5. Franchises must then share rosters of players available for auction by November 7. The last date for player registration is November 18, and the BCCI will release the final list of players for the mega auction on November 20.