RCB suffer huge blow as star all-rounder withdraws from WPL 2026

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a massive blow ahead of the 2026 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) with Ellyse Perry's withdrawal. Along with Perry, fellow Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland also pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons.

Perry played a vital role in RCB's title-winning campaign in WPL 2024. She finished as the highest run-getter with 347 runs in nine innings at 69.40. The 35-year-old also claimed seven wickets that year and hit a match-winning 35 in the final against the Delhi Capitals (DC). She is currently the second-highest run-getter in WPL history with 972 runs in 25 games, averaging a healthy 64.80. Sayali Satghare, the Indian all-rounder, will join the Bengaluru-based outfit at a reserve price of ₹30 lakh.

Meanwhile, Alana King had surprisingly gone unsold in the WPL 2026 auction, but Sutherland's withdrawal means the leg-spinner has now got an opportunity for DC. King, who represented the UP Warriorz before, will join the Capitals at a reserve price of ₹60 lakh. In yet another development, Tara Norris will miss WPL 2026 after being selected for the USA national team for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2026. The Warriorz signed Australia all-rounder Charli Knott as her replacement.

RCB failed to qualify for the playoffs in WPL 2025

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana. (Image Credits: Getty)

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru failed to qualify for the WPL 2025 playoffs after managing just three victories in eight matches. The 2024 winners performed well in the latest auction, acquiring stars like Georgia Voll (₹60 lakh), Grace Harris (₹75 lakh), Nadine de Klerk (₹65 lakh), and Linsey Smith (₹30 lakh). Among the Indians, their key acquisitions were Pooja Vastrakar (₹85 lakh) and Arundhati Reddy (₹75 lakh).

They will be in action on the first day of WPL 2026, facing defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on January 9 at the D.Y Patil Stadium.

Edited by Srinjoy Sanyal