Brown, Dercksen & Tess Flintoff (source: @Werries_,@WBBL,@StrikersBBL/X)
The Tata Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction will take place on 27th November 2025. The franchises have already announced their retention lists, and it already had many interesting and unexpected developments, with teams like UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants retaining only one and two players, respectively.
With other women’s franchise leagues like WBBL and Women’s CPL, there are a lot of players available for the franchises to choose from.
While big names like Alyssa Healy, Deandra Dottin, Amelia Kerr, and others will go under the hammer for the upcoming auction, there are many players who aren’t talked about a lot but can be an excellent addition to any franchise.
We’ll talk about some of these underrated players who are potentially match winners, and the WPL franchises can go after them.
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1. Tess Flintoff
- Tess Flintoff in T20s: 41 wickets and 535 runs in 66 matches
Tess Flintoff is an all-rounder from Australia. She bowls right-arm fast and has the ability to tonk the ball in the middle order. Flintoff has had some injury concerns in the past, but now she’s fit and is performing well in the ongoing WBBL for the Melbourne Renegades - 6 wickets batting at a strike rate of 152.38.
Flintoff can be a good all-round option for any side; if not a sure-shot starter, then surely a great backup option.
2. Lauren Cheatle
| Criterion | Data |
| Innings | 91 |
| Wickets | 92 |
| Economy | 6.81 |
(Lauren Cheatle in WBBL)
Lauren Cheatle was a part of the Gujarat Giants squad, but she didn’t get to play any games. The left-arm pacer can swing the new ball and is a genuine wicket-taker in the powerplay.
She has 92 wickets in 91 WBBL matches at an economy of 6.81. Cheatle can be a great pick for any WPL side, as she has the ability to go through any batting unit on her day.
3. Maitlan Brown
- Matilan Brown in WBBL: 75 wickets at an economy of 7 and 661 runs in 107 matches
Maitlan Brown is another good bowling all-rounder from Australia. She plays for the Sydney Sixers women in the WBBL. She bowls at a decent pace and can bowl in any phase of the innings.
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Maitlan Brown celebrating a wicket (Source: @WBBL/x)
Brown is also capable with the bat and will be a great addition for any franchise that wants a good bowling all-rounder at a cheaper price.
4. Annerie Dercksen
Annerie Dercksen is not that underrated, but there’s not a lot of buzz around her name ahead of the WPL auction.
The Protea all-rounder has the potential to be one of the best all-rounders in the women’s cricket circuit.
She won the ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year award in 2024. She can hit a long ball and can give me 3-4 overs in every match.
Dercksen is a true asset for any T20 side, and she must be on the radar of some franchises in the WPL auction on 27th November 2025.
5. Darcie Brown
- Darcie Brown in T20s: 64 wickets in 56 matches at an economy of 6.25
Darcie Brown is one of the fastest pacers in women’s cricket. She can trouble any batter with her pace and bounce.
Brown also struggled with her fitness, but now she’s 100% fit and in excellent form in the ongoing WBBL.
The Aussie pacer is not very underrated like the others, but she’s yet to play in the WPL. She’s expected to be in high demand at the auction later this month.
To name a few other similar names, Rosemary Mair, Molly Strano, Heather Graham, and Nicola Carey are proven match winners whom teams can and should go for during the auction.
These are some of the players who may go under the radar during the auction but are certainly match-winners on their day and can prove to be really useful for any franchise if utilized properly.
While players like Deandra Dottin, Amelia Kerr, Alyssa Healy, Nadine de Klerk, Georgia Voll, and others are expected to go for big bucks, these players can be value for money at the auction.
