Big Setback For WPL 2026 as Ellyse Perry & Annabel Sutherland Withdraw, Franchises Line Up Late Replacements
Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland withdraw from WPL 2026 as teams sign Sayali Satghare, Alana King, and Charli Knott.
Two big Australian names have pulled out just weeks before the start of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, forcing teams to make last-minute squad changes.
Ellyse Perry has withdrawn from the season due to personal reasons. Her franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, moved quickly and signed India all-rounder Sayali Satghare at a base price of INR 30 lakh.
Perry’s exit is a big blow for RCB, given her experience and leadership. The franchise, however, is backing Satghare’s domestic form and versatility to fill the gap in the middle order and with the ball.
Another Australian star, Annabel Sutherland, has also pulled out of the tournament for personal reasons. She was part of the Delhi Capitals setup and was expected to play a key all-round role.
Delhi have replaced her with leg-spinner Alana King, who had gone unsold at the auction. King has been picked up at her base price of INR 60 lakh.
“Delhi Capitals today announced the signing of Australian leg-spinner Alana King as a replacement for all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who has been ruled out of the Women’s Premier League 2026 due to personal reasons,” the franchise said in a statement.
Not all changes are due to personal reasons. USA left-arm seamer Tara Norris will miss the WPL as her national team’s campaign in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier clashes with league dates.
Her team, UP Warriorz, have signed uncapped Australian all-rounder Charli Knott as a replacement for INR 10 lakh.
WPL 2026 begins on February 9 with Mumbai Indians taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at DY Patil Stadium. The first half of the season will be played in Navi Mumbai, while the second half and playoffs move to Vadodara.
Mumbai Indians, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, are the defending champions after beating Delhi Capitals in the 2025 final.
With late withdrawals and quick replacements, teams will hope their new signings settle in fast as the league gets ready for another tight and competitive season.
