Ex-India Cricketer Unpacks The Rationale Behind Mumbai Indians Shelling Out Big to Re-Acquire Amelia Kerr In WPL Mega Auction

Former India cricketer Saba Karim dissects the rationale behind the Mumbai Indians going all-in to re-acquire Amelia Kerr in the franchise during the WPL mega auction.

He believes MI's primary target in the auction was Kerr, as she had performed well. The key reason for bringing back Amelia Kerr was to have the title-winning core in place for the upcoming 2026 season.

Why MI Splashed Out To Bring Back Amelia Kerr: Former Saba Karim Gives An Insight

Saba Karim believes the Mumbai Indians paid a higher price to bring back Amelia Kerr to secure the core of the team that won the title last season.

He added that the Mumbai Indians must've been sorry to release her due to the cap on retentions. The former cricketer also believes the extra money they spent on bringing back Kerr is worth it for the franchise.

"Mumbai Indians knew that to rebuild the same title-winning team, they had to take back one or two players they released. Their main target was Amelia Kerr. She has performed very well.

"MI must have been sad to release her before. That is why they paid a higher price for her now. They wanted the core group that won them the WPL title last year. They have brought that core back. So, the money invested in Amelia Kerr is worth it for MI," Saba Karim said on JioHotstar.

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Mithali Raj also admitted that the Mumbai Indians had emotional reasons to bring back Amelia Kerr, irrespective of the cost it took.

Amelia Kerr Expected To Play A Big Role In Upcoming WPL Season

Amelia Kerr was released by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the Women's Premier League 2026 mega auction. Given that the defending champions could only retain five players, they had to make the hard choice to let the White Ferns star go.

In the WPL 2025 season, Amelia Kerr emerged as the Purple Cap holder for being the highest wicket-taker. She took 18 wickets for the Mumbai Indians and established her dominance.

Kerr's wicket-taking prowess was a key factor behind the Mumbai Indians' title-winning campaign in the WPL 2025 season.

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Amelia Kerr has been re-acquired by the Mumbai Indians for a whopping INR 3 crore ahead of the 2026 season of WPL. She will be in action for the defending champions, starting January 9, 2026, at the DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai.