Delhi Capitals set to release Meg Lanning ahead of WPL 2026, check list of retained players

In a significant move ahead of the Women’s Premier League 2026 season, Delhi Capitals have released their captain, Meg Lanning. The decision comes as a surprise to many, given Lanning’s remarkable record with the franchise. Under her leadership, Delhi reached three consecutive WPL finals and established themselves as one of the most consistent teams in the tournament’s short history.

Lanning has been a cornerstone of the Capitals’ batting lineup since the league’s inception, amassing 952 runs in 27 matches at an impressive strike rate of 127.10. She remains Delhi’s highest run-scorer and ranks third overall on the list of top run-getters in WPL history.

While the franchise has not yet provided an official explanation for the move, sources suggest that the decision was influenced by the team’s retention strategy. With each franchise allowed to keep a limited number of overseas players, Delhi reportedly opted to retain all-rounders Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland as their two foreign picks, leaving no space for Lanning within the retention quota.

Despite her release, there remains a strong possibility that Delhi Capitals could attempt to bring Lanning back during the upcoming WPL mega-auction, set for the final week of November. Given her proven leadership, consistency, and experience on the global stage, she is expected to attract intense bidding from multiple franchises.

DC’s list of retained players

Delhi Capitals have retained Jemimah Rodrigues as their top pick, with a salary of INR 3.5 crore. The franchise’s other retained players include Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, and Niki Prasad.

However, Delhi have released several key players, including Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Alice Capsey, and Sree Charani. Charani’s omission is particularly notable, as she was India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, making her absence a significant setback for the team.

DC list of retained players: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Niki Prasad

DC list of released players: Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniya Bhatia, Titas Sadhu, N Shree Charani, Nandini Kashyap, Sarah Bryce