UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar has finally opened up on franchise's surprising call to release superstar players including Deepti Sharma ahead of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction. Abhishek Nayar acknowledged the difficulty of the franchise's bold retention strategy, which saw them retain only a single player. Nayar, who recently replaced Jon Lewis as head coach and will also coach the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 season, stated that the decision was driven by a desire to enter the mega auction with a clean slate and the largest available purse.
UP Warriorz opt for 'Clean Slate' in WPL 2026 Auction
The decision resulted in the release of several high-profile players on the November 6 deadline day. Notable names let go include captain Alyssa Healy, England star spinner Sophie Ecclestone, pacer Kranti Goud, and all-rounder Grace Harris. However, the most surprising and impactful release was that of Deepti Sharma, despite her phenomenal recent form. Her release came just days after she was named Player of the Tournament in India's maiden Women's World Cup triumph, where she scored 215 runs and claimed 22 wickets, including a match-winning five-wicket haul in the final. Her exceptional performance made her release the biggest talking point of the retention window.
“It is always hard when it comes to retentions, when you have so many good players, leaders in their own rights, high-performing players. But I think the thought from the franchise was to go in with a clean slate," Nayar said while speaking on JioStar.
“Have as much money in the purse as possible to make sure we can not only get the players that we feel can win the Championship, but also get a lot of these players back in the auction," Nayar added.
UP Warriorz is actively seeking a fresh start following two consecutive seasons that failed to meet expectations. After an encouraging start that saw them reach the play-offs in the inaugural WPL edition, the team's performance has unfortunately declined. They finished fourth in the following season and ultimately bottomed out in the WPL 2025, landing at the bottom of the table.
“Having said that, it is never easy to make these decisions. Right or wrong, never in doubt is something we believe in. The thought process will be to go in with a full purse, try and create the best combination possible," Nayar concluded.
UP Warriorz' retention:
Shweta Sehrawat
UP Warriorz' released players:
Kiran Navgire, Vrinda Dinesh, Alyssa Healy, Georgia Voll, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Poonam Khemnar, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Uma Chetry, Saima Thakor, Gouher Sultana, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud, Alana King, Chinelle Henry.