WPL 2026: Meg Lanning Announced New Captain Of UP Warriorz
DY Patil Stadium: Former Australia captain Meg Lanning has been appointed as the new skipper of UP Warriorz (UPW) for the upcoming season of the Women's Premier League (WPL), said the franchise through its social media accounts on Sunday. At UPW, Meg will take over the captaincy reins from Indias off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who led the franchise in the 2025 season in the absence of previous regular captain and Megs former Australia team-mate, wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy. It is a real honour to be named captain of the UP Warriorz. As the WPL enters its fourth season, its been incredible to see how the league has evolved, the quality of cricket, the competitiveness and the emergence of exciting new talent continue to raise the standard each year. This is a talented group with a strong mix of international experience and Indian players, and Im really looking forward to the challenge ahead. Well work hard together and give ourselves every opportunity to lift the trophy, said Meg in a franchise statement on Sunday. Meg, 33, is widely regarded as one of the most successful captains in womens cricket history, having guided Australia to five World Cup titles across both white-ball formats and Commonwealth Games gold medal during her tenure as the sides skipper. She joined UPW for Rs 1.9 crore at last years mega auction in New Delhi after DC didnt retain her. Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader. Her understanding of the game, ability to manage high-pressure moments, and connect with players makes her the ideal captain for this group. Were confident she will play a key role in shaping the teams approach this season, said Abhishek Nayar, UPW head coach. In WPL, Meg led her previous team Delhi Capitals (DC) to the final in all three seasons, but finished as runners-up in 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively. Meg, though, won the Orange Cap in 2023 WPL while sharing a formidable partnership with India opener Shafali Verma at the top. Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader. Her understanding of the game, ability to manage high-pressure moments, and connect with players makes her the ideal captain for this group. Were confident she will play a key role in shaping the teams approach this season, said Abhishek Nayar, UPW head coach. Also Read: Live Cricket Score In her WPL career so far, she has played 27 matches and scored 952 runs at a strike rate of 127.10, including nine half-centuries. UPW, who are yet to win the WPL, will open their 2026 campaign against Gujarat Giants (GG) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 10. Article Source: IANS
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