Pratika Rawalthe Indian opening batter and right-arm off-break bowler, is set to be one of the most heavily bid-for national players in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Mega Auction. Rawal, who went unsold in the WPL 2025 auction, has had a spectacular year, culminating in her international debut. Crucially, she was the highly successful opening partner of Smriti Mandhana for the Indian team, forging a record-breaking opening stand (212 runs against New Zealand) that powered India to the 2025 World Cup semifinals.

Her run was tragically cut short due to a severe ankle and knee injury sustained while fielding in the final league game, ruling her out of the knockouts. Now registered with a base price of INR 50 lakh, her proven technique, consistency, and ability to be an anchor make her a must-have investment for any franchise seeking a dependable, long-term Indian top-order star, despite any minor residual fitness concerns.

3 franchises that can target Pratika Rawal in the WPL 2026 Mega Auction

1. UP Warriorz (UPW)

UP Warriorz have the largest purse remaining at a staggering INR 14.50 crore and have only retained one player. Their main priority is rebuilding their Indian core from the ground up, and they have the funds to target a marquee Indian batter. Rawal, with her proven ability to anchor the innings and her consistency, is the ideal domestic top-order batter to build their future around. Given their enormous budget and the need for immediate Indian star power, UPW can afford to be the highest bidder for Rawal, ensuring they have a consistent, high-performing Indian opener to stabilize their aggressive batting lineup for the long term.

2. Gujarat Giants (GG)

Gujarat Giants enter the auction with a healthy purse of INR 9.00 crore and are also in a major rebuilding phase, having released nearly their entire Indian contingent. They have retained only two overseas stars (Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner) and desperately need high-quality Indian batters to fill the middle and top order. Pratika Rawal offers the perfect solution: an Indian batter who can be paired with Beth Mooney at the top or anchor the batting at number three. Given their ample funds and the critical need for a reliable Indian batting backbone following their overhaul, GG is expected to bid aggressively for Rawal to instantly fix a major weakness in their domestic batting lineup.

3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

RCB, the defending champions, have a reasonable purse of INR 6.15 crore and a huge strategic advantage: their retained captain is Mandhana. Having seen Rawal’s incredible effectiveness and chemistry as her opening partner for the national team (where they shared a record 212-run stand), RCB will view Rawal as an essential piece of their puzzle. Acquiring Rawal would immediately solve their need for a second high-quality Indian batter and amplify Mandhana’s own performance. Even with a tighter budget, the strategic value of reuniting the Mandhana-Rawal opening combination makes her an irresistible, must-have target for the defending champions.

This article was first published at WomenCricket.coma Read company.