Grace Harris absolute steal at WPL auction: Anjum Chopra credits UP Warriors

Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes the UP Warriorz have pulled off one of the smartest deals in the WPL 2027 auction by bringing back Australian all-rounder Grace Harris for just Rs 30 crore. Harris, who has been part of the league since its inaugural season in 2023, returns to the franchise after spending the 2026 edition with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The Australian took a significant pay cut after earning Rs 75 crore in each of the first four seasons of the competition. She represented UP Warriorz in the first three editions before moving to RCB in 2026. Despite her experience and ability to impress with both bat and ball, Warriorz managed to secure her services at her base price of Rs 30 lakh.

“Grace Harris was the only one I felt was an absolute steal. I think Grace could have fetched a higher price. Thirty crore, I thought, is a very good buy for the UP Warriorz because she obviously brings more than one skill to the fore; she is multi-talented,” Anjum told PTI in an exclusive Zoom interview on Saturday.

The 33-year-old has made a big impact in the competition, scoring 818 runs in 31 matches at an impressive 149.54. She also took 15 wickets with best figures of 4/15, underscoring her value as a true all-rounder.

MOLINEUX HOME PAGE FIXES WARRIORZ’ REBUILD

The Warriorz have put together an interesting line-up ahead of the 2027 season, mixing seasoned international stars with Indian talent. Their biggest acquisition was Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineuxwhich was signed for Rs 1.10 crore. They also brought in Harris, Indian all-rounders Sneh Rana and Asha Sobhan, goalkeeper Sushma Verma, Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce, Manali Dakshini and Sahana Pawar.

The Warriorz entered the auction with Rs 3.75 crore in their purse and spent Rs 2.60 crore on eight players, with Molineux emerging as their biggest buy. Their strategy was to add depth to a team that already boasts several established names, including captain Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma.

The UP Warriorz will be hoping that their latest acquisitions will finally help them end their wait for a first WPL title. They finished third in their inaugural season in 2023, reached the Eliminator, dropped to fourth in 2024 and finished bottom of the table in both 2025 and 2026. With Lanning at the helm, the Warriorz will be eager for a turnaround in their fortunes and mount a serious title challenge.

UP WARRIOZ WHOLE SQUAD

Preserved: Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Meg Lanning*, Phoebe Litchfield*, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone*, Tara Norris*

Brought in at auction: Sophie Molineux – Rs 1.10 Crore, Sneh Rana – Rs 30 Crore, Grace Harris – Rs 30 Crore, Sushma Verma – Rs 30 Crore, Kathryn Bryce – Rs 10 Crore, Manali Dakshini – Rs 10 Crore, Shana Ashoba, Rshan – Rs 10 Lakh, Rshan Pawar – Rs 30 Lakh

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