In franchise cricket, there is an ironic quietness; teams plan over months to be prepared for certainty in what is inherently chaotic. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is still developing, but has sold the idea that it is a place where the best of the best meet long-term plans. But just one week before, when WPL 2026 commences, this notion of stability has collapsed completely.
Perry and Sutherland, two of Australia’s most important players in Women’s Cricket, have both pulled out of the competition due to “personal issues.” While they are not simply being removed from RCB and DC rosters as a roster adjustment at this late stage of the tournament, they are being replaced by significant structural components in their teams’ lineups.
Perry’s Absence Breaks More Than Balance
Perry’s loss is more than just an RCB loss of a marquee player; it is the loss of the team’s strategic focal point. Perry’s worth wasn’t solely defined by her performance statistics; although the stats are impressive (she has scored 719 runs across 17 matches from 2024-2025 with 8 half-centuries & contributed 7 wickets even when limited due to injury).
She was able to allow RCB to increase their batting depth and allow them to take more time in managing risks while also allowing for an intelligent management of the workload of the bowling unit. Take away Perry, and now all of a sudden, there are uncomfortable role overlaps. It creates the need for the middle order to begin with early acceleration phases, which can lead to a premature end to the batting lineup, and it also removes the reliable overs cushion that the bowling unit needed to be successful.
Delhi Capitals Lose a Strategic Seam
While Annabel Sutherland’s departure might seem less dramatic than Shafali Verma’s, it has potentially a greater and more insidious effect on the team. In her 9 wickets last season, she was instrumental in allowing Delhi Capitals to take control of games and maintain their composure (as opposed to chasing quick breakthroughs) as she was able to provide a consistent source of resistance by stalling momentum – something that requires a great deal of discipline and a high level of tactical awareness.
Alana King’s (INR 60 lakhs) cost is also reflected in her consistent performance on the International stage of cricket. With 27 wickets taken for Australia in 27 T20 Internationals, she has earned the right to be considered as reliable as they come. However, with her in the team, the Delhi Capitals will have to implement a very spin-heavy game plan. They may be able to strangle batting line-ups with this strategy on slow wicket conditions.
Replacements Change Team Identity
Franchise Cricket then shifts from being based on individual talent to being based on how well an organisation can be rebuilt as a whole. The two professionals, Satghare and King, can both perform their jobs well; there is no system for players to build off of after new players replace old ones. Perry and Sutherland are being kept by their teams for INR 2 crores and INR 2.2 crores, respectively, due to their importance to their respective team’s architectures, not just for what each player did individually.
There is also a lesson to be learned from history here. As early versions of the IPL began, franchises that suffered the loss of an overseas star player near the end of a season would have trouble adjusting to who was going to play in what role, regardless of how talented a replacement may have been. Short tournaments also make it difficult for a team to adjust to new combinations, and chemistry is not limitless.