UP Warriorz have named Meg Lanning as their captain ahead of the Women’s Premier League 2026. The former Australia captain took over as captain after she was bought at the WPL 2026 auction for 1.9 crores. Lanning is known to have led Australia to many wins with her smart captaincy.
Lanning replaces Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who has been captaining the team during the 2025 season owing to the injury of skipper Alyssa Healy.
Why UP Warriorz Hired Meg Lanning
The reason why Meg Lanning was appointed as the captain of the UP Warriorz team lies in her vast experience in leadership and success at the highest international level in women’s cricket.
Important points about Lanning’s qualities as a leader:
- Won an ODI World Cup title for Australia
- Led Australia to four T20 World Cups titles
- Led Delhi Capitals to third WPL consecutive finals
Cool, analytical, and effective leader under pressure. The Warriorz team coach, Abhishek Nayar, appreciated her position and mentioned that she has composure and game intelligence, which are very important assets for a player to possess.
Meg Lanning’s WPL Record
Meg Lanning is a leader in cricket as well as one of the most consistent batswomen in the league.
- 952 runs in 27 WPL matches
- Third-highest run-scorer in WPL
- Dominant opening batsman with extensive international background
Lanning Responds to Involvement with UP Warriorz Captaincy
Lanning said, while showing her happiness, that it is “a real honour” to be declared the captain of the UP Warriorz.
She highlighted the balance that the squad had, appreciating the combination of internationals and Indian players, and reiterated the objective of the team to move forward with their determination to win the WPL championship in 2026.
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Leadership Transition at UP Warriorz
The UP Warriorz had been led by Alyssa Healy as their captain in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. However, she could not participate in the 2025 season due to injury, which resulted in Deepti Sharma becoming the new captain.
Prior to the WPL 2026 Auction:
- Alyssa Healy remained unsold
- Released and then signed back for 3.2 crores-Deepti Sharma
- Meg Lanning was recruited and appointed as captain
UP Warriorz Performance in WPL So Far
Best finish: Third place in WPL 2023
Lost to Mumbai Indians in the 2023 playoffs
WPL 2025 finish: Fifth place with three wins
With Meg Lanning at the helm, UP Warriorz will be aiming to return to playoff contention and challenge for their maiden WPL title.
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