Three-Time Finalists' Bold Move: Delhi Capitals Retain World Cup Heroes Jemimah and Shafali, Release Captain Meg Lanning
Three-Time Finalists’ Bold Move: Delhi Capitals Retain World Cup Heroes Jemimah and Shafali, Release Captain Meg Lanning
Delhi Capitals announced their five retentions ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction, keeping World Cup 2025 semifinal and final match-winners Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma while making the stunning decision to release Australian legend Meg Lanning, who captained the franchise to three consecutive finals (WPL 2023, 2024, 2025) without ever lifting the trophy. The JSW-GMR co-owned franchise retained all five permitted slots—leaving them with Rs 5.70 crore purse and zero RTM cards for the November 27 auction in New Delhi—while releasing 13 players including England’s Alice Capsey and India’s Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav.
The Five Retentions
Jemimah Rodrigues (India) - Rs 2.2 crore
Shafali Verma (India) - Rs 2.2 crore
Annabel Sutherland (Australia) - Rs 2.2 crore
Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) - Rs 2.2 crore
Niki Prasad (India, uncapped) - Rs 50 lakh
Total Retention Cost: Rs 9.30 crore
Remaining Purse: Rs 5.70 crore
RTM Cards: 0
The World Cup Connection
DC’s retention strategy prioritized India’s World Cup 2025 heroes. Both Jemimah and Shafali delivered match-winning performances in the knockout stages:
Jemimah Rodrigues:
Semifinal vs Australia: 127* (Player of the Match)
Pivotal innings that eliminated defending champions
Shafali Verma:
Final vs South Africa: 87 runs
Explosive knock that set up India’s 52-run victory
The Meg Lanning Shock
Lanning’s release represents one of WPL 2026’s biggest surprises. The 33-year-old Australian legend led Delhi to:
Leadership Record:
Three consecutive finals (WPL 2023, 2024, 2025)
Only franchise to reach every WPL final
27 matches, 952 runs at strike rate of 127
Third-highest individual score (92) in WPL 2025
Three half-centuries in 2025 season
Despite this consistency, DC chose all-round depth over captaincy experience, retaining Sutherland and Kapp—both of whom offer bowling and batting versatility that Lanning couldn’t match.
Management Statements
Parth Jindal (Co-owner, JSW Sports):
"Letting go of players from such a consistent, high-performing squad is never easy, but that’s the challenge that comes with a mega auction. Every player has played a pivotal role in our journey so far. Although we narrowly missed lifting the trophy, we’re immensely proud of what this group has achieved in the first three seasons. We’re very satisfied with our retentions. Jemi, Shafali, Marizanne, Annabel, and Niki form a strong core for us to build around."
Kiran Kumar Grandhi (Chairman, Co-owner):
"The WPL has been an incredible journey of growth, both for the sport and for women’s cricket in India. We’re extremely proud of how this team has performed over the first three seasons - consistently reaching the finals and setting benchmarks of professionalism and team spirit."
Jonathan Batty (Head Coach):
"We’ve played some outstanding cricket over the first three seasons. This was a tight-knit group that performed as a cohesive unit, and that togetherness was reflected in our results. It’s always difficult to release players after sharing such a successful journey, but that’s the nature of the WPL and the challenge that comes with it."
The Complete Released List (13 players)
Overseas:
Meg Lanning (Australia, captain)
Alice Capsey (England)
Jess Jonassen (Australia)
Sarah Bryce (Scotland)
Indian Capped:
Arundhati Reddy
Radha Yadav
Shikha Pandey
Titas Sadhu
Taniyaa Bhatia
Minnu Mani
Indian Uncapped:
Sneha Deepthi
N Charani
Nandini Kashyap
Strategic Implications
DC’s decision to exhaust all five retention slots maximizes core continuity but leaves limited auction flexibility with just Rs 5.70 crore and no RTM options. The franchise must strategically target specific gaps—likely a captain/leader figure, additional bowling depth, and batting reinforcements.