London [UK], March 12 : New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine and Australian wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney emerged as the biggest winners in the inaugural auction of The Hundred women's competition, each securing a record £210,000 contract ahead of the 2026 season.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Sophie Devine was picked by Welsh Fire, while Mooney attracted a bidding battle before being signed by Trent Rockets, underlining the rising financial scale of the tournament. Their deals are significantly higher than the previous top salary in the women's Hundred, which stood at £65,000, and far above the £15,000 maximum salary offered in the competition's inaugural edition in 2021.
One of the most surprising moments of the auction saw England all-rounder Danielle Gibson land a £190,000 deal with Sunrisers Leeds, making her one of the top earners in the event. South Africa's all-rounder Nadine de Klerk also secured a lucrative contract after being signed by the London Spirit for £170,000. De Klerk recently impressed with her performances in the 50-over World Cup and the Women's Premier League, where she claimed 16 wickets for champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
In contrast, some notable players attracted relatively modest bids. India all-rounder Deepti Sharma was picked by Sunrisers Leeds at her base price of £27,500 after receiving a single bid. Meanwhile, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was bought by Manchester Super Giants for £50,000.
Devine, who recently stepped down as New Zealand's T20 captain after leading the side to victory in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, will now feature for Welsh Fire as she enters the later stage of her career at 36. She also retired from One-Day Internationals late last year.
Mooney's signing followed a competitive bidding contest between Trent Rockets and Manchester Super Giants, with the Rockets ultimately securing the services of the highly consistent Australian batter and wicketkeeper.
The significant rise in player salaries comes after the salary cap for women's teams in the Hundred doubled to £880,000 per franchise. The increase follows new private investment in the tournament, which has brought external investors into ownership or co-ownership roles across all eight teams.
Teenage batter Davina Perrin also made headlines by becoming the first player sold at the auction. The 19-year-old, who gained attention after scoring a 43-ball century in last year's Eliminator, was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £50,000.
This is how the eight women's teams stack up ahead of the 2026 season.
Birmingham Phoenix: Alice Capsey (£130,000), Ellyse Perry (£100,000), Linsey Smith (£100,000), Lauren Filer (£95,000), Tammy Beaumont (£70,000), Davina Perrin (£50,000), Alana King (£37,500), Jemima Spence (£37,500), Lucy Hamilton (£35,000), Eva Gray (£30,000), Cordelia Griffith (£27,500), Emma Lamb (£27,500), Phoebe Brett (£27,500), Esmae MacGregor (£16,000)
London Spirit: Nadine de Klerk (£170,000), Marizanne Kapp (£130,000), Charlie Dean (£85,000), Charis Pavely (£85,000), Mahika Gaur (£75,000), Grace Harris (£70,000), Amy Jones (£70,000), Deandra Dottin (£37,500), Sterre Kalis (£27,500), Marie Kelly (£20,000), Phoebe Turner (£20,000), Seren Smale (£15,000), Lucy Higham (£15,000), Josephine Groves (£15,000)
Manchester Super Giants: Paige Scholfield (£115,000), Sophie Ecclestone (£110,000), Meg Lanning (£95,000), Smriti Mandhana (£90,000), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (£75,000), Kathryn Bryce (£65,000), Richa Ghosh (£50,000), Mady Villiers (£45,000), Grace Ballinger (£42,500), Maitlan Brown (£40,000), Grace Scrivens (£40,000), Jo Gardner (£17,000), Natasha Wraith (£15,000), Rebecca Tyson (£15,000)
MI London: Hayley Matthews (£120,000), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (£110,000), Nicola Carey (£95,000), Amelia Kerr (£80,000), Kira Chathli (£80,000), Chinelle Henry (£70,000), Kirstie Gordon (£55,000), Hollie Armitage (£45,000), Alexa Stonehouse (£42,500), Tara Norris (£35,000), Alice Davidson-Richards (£30,000), Alice Monaghan (£27,500), Ellie Threlkeld (£15,000)
Southern Brave: Lauren Bell (£140,000), Issy Wong (£130,000), Tilly Corteen-Coleman (£105,000), Maia Bouchier (£85,000), Laura Wolvaardt (£75,000), Sarah Glenn (£75,000), Jemimah Rodrigues (£60,000), Sophie Molineux (£47,500), Jodi Grewcock (£30,000), Lizelle Lee (£27,500), Rebecca Odgers (£15,000), Phoebe Franklin (£15,000), Daisy Gibb (£15,000)
Sunrisers Leeds: Danielle Gibson (£190,000), Annabel Sutherland (£130,000), Phoebe Litchfield (£120,000), Jess Jonassen (£110,000), Cassidy McCarthy (£65,000), Kate Cross (£50,000), Deepti Sharma (£27,500), Bryony Smith (£27,500), Lauren Winfield-Hill (£27,500), Hannah Baker (£18,000)
Trent Rockets: Beth Mooney (£210,000), Nat Sciver-Brunt (£140,000), Ashleigh Gardner (£100,000), Sophia Dunkley (£78,000), Kim Garth (£42,000), Emma Jones (£35,000), Bess Heath (£32,500), Katie Levick (£32,500), Ailsa Lister (£30,000), Millicent Taylor (£27,500), Georgia Elwiss (£27,500)
Welsh Fire: Sophie Devine (£210,000), Freya Kemp (£120,000), Em Arlott (£110,000), Georgia Wareham (£100,000), Georgia Voll (£80,000), Ella McCaughan (£30,000), Heather Graham (£27,500), Sarah Bryce (£25,000), Abi Norgrove (£21,000), Fi Morris (£20,000), Sophia Smale (£20,000), Grace Thompson (£20,000), Grace Potts (£15,000).