![Teams to target Meg Lanning [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1763481809280__Meg_Lanning_WPL_2026.jpg?type=hq)
Teams to target Meg Lanning [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]
When the WPL 2026 mega auction arrives, one name will quietly, yet powerfully, shape the bidding strategies of several franchises: Meg Lanning.
The former Australia captain may no longer be an international regular, but her value in franchise cricket has only grown. Shockingly, Lanning was released by the Delhi Capitals Women even after guiding them to the final in all three seasons.
She was the Orange Cap winner in the inaugural WPL season, scoring 345 runs in 9 innings with trademark composure at the top.
Now, with squads being rebuilt from the ground up in the WPL 2026 mega auction, three teams stand out as strong contenders for her signature.
UP Warriorz - A team desperate for a central leader
UP Warriorz Women have always hovered in the “competitive but not threatening” zone. This year, they have retained just one player, Shweta Sehrawat, meaning they would have a large purse to shop with.
They’ve had match-winners, they’ve had fights, but they’ve lacked a central batting anchor and a steady leadership presence who can dictate the tempo of a season.
That’s exactly where Meg UP’s biggest weakness has been: instability in their top order. Their opening partnerships have rarely clicked, and their middle order has often been left repairing early damage.
Meg Lanning, with her career T20 average hovering near the mid-30s and her ability to bat deep into innings, solves that problem instantly.
More importantly, UP needs a leader who can shape a fresh squad. Lanning has captained DC-W to three WPL finals and has a proven history of elevating younger batters around her. For a franchise searching for identity and consistency, she is the ideal fit.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru - The dream of a Mandhana–Lanning duo
RCB finally tasted success in WPL 2024, but their batting still relies heavily, at times too heavily, on Smriti Mandhana. When Mandhana fires, RCB look unstoppable, but when she falls early, the uncertainty creeps in.
Now imagine Smriti Mandhana and Meg Lanning walking out to open together.
A left-right combination. A blend of flair and precision. One of India’s greatest batters paired with one of Australia’s greatest captains.
Lanning’s ability to score quickly without taking risks would give Mandhana the freedom to attack from ball one. Across her franchise career,
Meg Lanning has maintained a strike rate in the 120s. RCB also need another senior thinker in the leadership group.
Even if Smriti Mandhana remains captain, having Lanning around would be like adding another brain to the dugout, someone who has seen, won, and survived cricket’s toughest moments.
For a side that thrives on star power but often lacks calmness, Meg Lanning fits the bill perfectly.
Gujarat Giants - A franchise that needs a rebuild more than anyone
If there’s one team that should go all-in for Lanning, it’s the Gujarat Giants. They’ve struggled the most across seasons with inconsistency in selection, frequent leadership changes, and a batting order that rarely settled.
Their top order has often collapsed under pressure, leaving the middle order to salvage innings. Meg Lanning gives them stability straight away.
She brings runs, clarity, and standards. Her WPL numbers, nearly 350 runs in the first season alone, show she doesn’t need time to adapt to subcontinental surfaces.
The Giants also have one of the biggest purse pools heading into mega auctions historically, meaning they can afford a marquee bid.
Most importantly, Gujarat need a face of the franchise, someone to spark both cricketing and cultural turnaround. Hence, Meg Lanning is the perfect fit.
