Two-time champions Mumbai Indians enter 2026 Women’s Premier League season with confidence, having successfully retained most of their key players from the 2025 winning squad during the mega auction held in New Delhi on Thursday.
Speaking about the auction strategy, Nita M Ambani said, “Auction days are really exciting but sometimes unnerving too. Our strategy was to win back as many players as possible from our winning team of 2025. I am very excited to get Amelia Kerr back and our four Ss: Shabnim, Saika, Sajana and Sanskriti. We are very excited to welcome three young girls – Rahila Firdous, Nalla Kranthi Reddy and Triveni Vashisth. I take this opportunity to welcome Poonam Khemnar, Milly Illingworth and Nicola Carey into the Mumbai Indians family.”
Alongside the retained core of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, and G Kamalini, MI successfully reacquired Amelia Kerr, the standout player of the recent T20 World Cup, as well as S Sajana, Saika Ishaque, Sanskriti Gupta, and veteran pacer Shabnim Ismail.
Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s World Cup-winning captain, was also present at the auction, lending her insights and strategy expertise during the selection process.
Reflecting on the experience, Harmanpreet Kaur shared, “At first, I felt a bit nervous, but I loved being part of the planning and seeing everyone’s input, especially Nita Ma’am’s support. Bringing back most of our previous teammates shows the trust and confidence we share in this squad.”
The five retained players have been central to MI’s past successes, with Saika, Sajana, and Sanskriti emerging as breakout stars after debuting under MI’s guidance. The team has also strengthened its lineup by adding Australian all-rounder Nicola Carey, a multiple World Cup winner, and young pace sensation Milly Illingworth.
Staying true to their philosophy of nurturing young Indian talent, MI has included Nalla Kranthi Reddy and Triveni Vashistha, who will make their WPL debuts this season. The experienced duo of Rahila Firdous, captain of Madhya Pradesh, and Poonam Khemnar will also add valuable domestic experience to the squad.
