New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Former India captain Anjum Chopra feels that UP Warriorz will go for South African captain Laura Wolvaardt in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Auction on Thursday.

UP Warriorz, who are rebuilding their squad after retaining only Shweta Sehrawat, have the biggest purse of Rs 14.5 crore to spend in the auction. With Laura riding high on the ODI World Cup form and guiding her side to a runners-up finish, her name will likely start a bidding war in the auction hall.

“UP Warriorz are clearly rebuilding their team completely. They will be searching for a new captain and strong players. Laura Wolvaardt could be their target, she was the highest run-scorer in the Women’s ODI World Cup and her batting would strengthen their line-up. She might even become their captain while adding quality to their batting unit,” Anjum said on JioHotstar.

JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy praised Laura Wolvaardt’s leadership and batting skills. “Laura Wolvaardt performed brilliantly in the Women’s ODI World Cup, leading South Africa to the final and showed great captaincy skills. She’s the kind of opener who guarantees 350-plus runs every season. With UP Warriorz needing a captain while other teams have their leadership sorted, Laura would be perfect to bring stability to their team with both, her batting and leadership qualities.”

Anjum added that New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr will be highly sought after in this auction.

“Amelia Kerr will be highly sought after in this auction. With two WPL titles from the Mumbai Indians and her dual skills as a batting and bowling all-rounder, she brings great value. Her consistent performances with both bat and ball make her a strong contender to be among the most expensive players in WPL’s auction.”

Veda asserted that India’s in-form opener Pratika Rawal, who was injured in the final group stage game against Bangladesh in the ODI World Cup, will also be on the team’s radar for her prolific batting in the tournament.

“Teams are watching Pratika Rawal’s ankle fracture recovery closely. If she’s 80-85% ready by tournament start, she’ll attract interest. While her T20 numbers aren’t flashy, she provides solid stability at the top, allowing stroke-makers to play freely. RCB specifically need an established opener after trying multiple partners for Smriti Mandhana. Their successful Indian opening combination could work well in WPL too. She might not command a high price but will bring great value to any team that signs her.”

–IANS

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