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In a major move ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, the Delhi Capitals (DC) are all set to release their foundational captain Meg Lanning.
DC to release captain Meg Lanning before WPL 2026 auction
As per an India Today report, DC has instead opted to retain a core group consisting of Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, and Niki Prasad. This decision comes as the team prepares for the upcoming WPL auction, which is scheduled to take place on November 27 in New Delhi.
Beyond Lanning's departure, the franchise has also made the surprising decision not to retain three key Indian players: Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, and N Shree Charani. This move is particularly notable as all three players were part of the Indian squad that won the Women’s World Cup on November 2, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the historic final at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
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Meg Lanning’s exit means the Capitals will be searching for a new captain for the upcoming season. The Australian legend's tenure was marked by consistent, yet ultimately heartbreaking, success. She led the team to the WPL final in all three editions of the tournament but finished as runners-up on each occasion. The team lost to the Mumbai Indians in both the 2023 and 2025 finals, and to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2024 final.
Statistically, Lanning remains one of the most dominant batters in the league's history. She is currently the third-highest run-scorer in the WPL, having amassed 952 runs in 27 matches. Her record includes an impressive average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 127.10, with nine half-centuries and a top score of 92. Now that she has been released, it remains to be seen which rival franchise will attempt to secure her services in the auction.
Shree Charani released too?
Among the released Indian players, the departure of N Shree Charani is being singled out as particularly unlucky. The bowler was one of the breakout stars of India’s recent World Cup victory, delivering crucial performances throughout the tournament. She finished the campaign with 14 wickets in just nine matches at an outstandingly low economy rate of 4.96, which included a vital three-wicket haul.
In addition to releasing their established captain, Meg Lanning, DC also chose to part ways with several other players. These include Sarah Bryce, the wicketkeeper from Scotland, and Nandini Kashyap, the batter from Uttarakhand, both of whom had been acquired during last year’s auction. Looking ahead to the WPL 2026 season, DC's strategy will heavily rely on their retained international stars, Marizanne Kapp, who delivered a match-winning performance by dismantling England with a five-wicket haul in the recent World Cup semi-final, and Annabel Sutherland, who is widely regarded as one of the brightest emerging all-rounders in global cricket.
The decision to retain India's young opener, Shafali Verma, has been thoroughly justified by her stellar performance in the World Cup final. She was instrumental in India's victory, not only by scoring a crucial 87 runs but also by taking the key wickets of major South African players, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus. Her all-round contribution highlights her importance as a cornerstone of the revamped DC squad. While the franchises finalise their squads, the WPL 2026 season is tentatively expected to start in the first week of January. However, the official schedule and specific dates for the tournament have yet to be announced by the league organisers.
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