Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s side and skipper of Mumbai Indians Women in the WPL, has taken a noteworthy step. While her retention deal for the upcoming WPL 2026 season is ₹2.5 crore, it comes with an interesting caveat: a near-40 % pay rise on her previous contract despite being retained as the second pick by her franchise.
In simpler terms: Over the last three seasons she was drawing about ₹1.8 crore from her WPL deal.
Now with ₹2.5 crore, that’s a rise of ~38.8 %.
The twist: The franchise gave its top retention slot (₹3.5 crore) to Nat Sciver‑Brunt, meaning Harmanpreet agreed to play second fiddle in the retention pecking-order—even though she leads the team and is India’s skipper.
Why this is important:
- It signals her willingness to prioritise team structure and strategy over purely personal gain.
- It shows how contracts and pay are becoming more nuanced in women’s sport: leadership, brand value, strategy all play a role.
- From a broader lens, women’s cricket is accelerating in monetisation and professionalism.
Smriti Mandhana’s Upgrade & Own Record
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana — star batter and leader of Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women — has also secured a hike. She’s been retained at ₹3.5 crore, up from approximately ₹3.4 crore from her previous deal.
Although the rise may seem modest in absolute terms, the retention value and her consistent performance make it significant. It also underlines her status among the elite players in the league.
What’s Behind the Scenes
- The WPL’s retention structure clearly lists set slabs: Player 1 = ₹3.5 crore, Player 2 = ₹2.5 crore, Player 3 = ₹1.75 crore etc.
- In that context, Harmanpreet accepting the Player 2 slot (₹2.5 crore) instead of seeking Player 1 shows a strategic decision.
- For Smriti, landing the Player 1 slot at ₹3.5 crore confirms her standing.
- These contracts come on the back of India winning their first-ever Women’s World Cup in 2025, which has amplified women’s cricket visibility and value.
The Broader Implications
- These moves reflect the growing commercial and competitive weight of the women’s game. The fact that retention values are in crores emphasises it.
- For players: It’s not just about match fees anymore. Leadership roles, team retention strategy, brand value, and cricketing achievements all feed into the contract.
- For franchises: The balance between retaining domestic stars and overseas marquee names, budget allocation, and squad building is now a complex puzzle.
- For the sport: It’s a virtuous circle — better pay attracts more talent, which improves league quality, which draws more viewers and sponsors, which then supports higher pay.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s “sacrifice” is less about losing out and more about choosing a position that serves her team and the league’s broader interests while still earning a handsome uplift. Smriti Mandhana’s slight hike is a reinforcement of her elite status. Together, they signal that the women’s game in India is not just evolving — it’s accelerating.
