Devine and Mooney Headline Record-Breaking Women’s Hundred Auction
The inaugural Women’s Hundred Auction for the 2026 season took place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in London, marking a significant shift in the league’s structure with the adoption of an IPL-style auction model [1]. This change is fueled by fresh private investment and rebranding of several franchises to align with their IPL counterparts.
Record-Breaking Bids for Top Stars
Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney emerged as the top earners of the auction, both securing contracts worth £210,000 [2], [3]. The increased bidding was driven by doubled salary pots for women’s teams, reaching £880,000 each [3].
Devine’s Impact and Future Plans
Sophie Devine, known for her explosive batting and medium-pace bowling, will join Welsh Fire, bringing a significant “X-factor” and potential captaincy option to the team [3]. Devine recently excelled in the Women’s Premier League and is preparing for a five-match T20I series against South Africa with New Zealand, her first assignment since retiring from ODI cricket [2].
Devine expressed her gratitude and pride in the growth of women’s cricket, noting the significant increase in earnings compared to her early career. She is also looking forward to supporting Amelia Kerr in her new role as captain of the New Zealand team, stepping back from captaincy herself to allow Kerr to lead [2].
Mooney’s Move and League Changes
Beth Mooney, a consistent run-scorer in T20 cricket, will play for Trent Rockets, a move that signifies a strong statement from the franchise [3]. The ownership of several teams in The Hundred has changed following investment from IPL franchises, with Oval Invincibles becoming MI London, Northern Superchargers becoming Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Originals becoming Manchester Super Giants [4]. Southern Brave has retained its name under the ownership of GMR Group, which also owns Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
Auction Overview
A total of 178 players were available in the Women’s Hundred 2026 auction [4]. The tournament is scheduled to begin on July 21 at the Kia Oval, with the final taking place on August 16 at Lord’s in London [4].