Luke Williams appointed Mumbai Indians head coach for 2027 WPL season

Mumbai Indians have appointed Luke Williams as their head coach for the 2027 Women's Premier League season. The announcement was made official on Thursday, September 24, with Williams stepping into the role vacated by Lisa Keightley, who has departed the franchise.

Keightley had been appointed Mumbai Indians head coach in September 2025, making her tenure with the side just over a year. No official reason for her departure has been disclosed by the franchise.

“I’m really excited to be joining Mumbai Indians, a respected and successful organisation, and working with this talented group of players and support staff. We have a great opportunity to build something together, play an exciting brand of cricket and compete for success. I’m looking forward to the challenge and to giving our fans plenty to be proud of,” Williams said upon being welcomed to the franchise.

Mumbai Indians are a two-time WPL champion side, having won the title in 2023 and 2025 under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur. Both triumphs were achieved under former head coach Charlotte Edwards. Kaur continues as captain of the side heading into the 2027 edition, giving the franchise a settled leadership core as they begin preparations under their new coach.

Nita M. Ambani, the owner of the franchise, welcomed Williams to the Mumbai Indians family as part of the official announcement

“We are delighted to welcome Luke Williams to the Mumbai Indians family. Luke is a proven winner and brings with him rich experience, a deep understanding of the women’s game, and a strong commitment to developing players.

"Our girls have created a proud legacy in the WPL, and I am confident that, with Luke’s guidance and Harman’s leadership, they will continue to grow, achieve greater success, and inspire young girls everywhere to dream big. I wish Luke, and the entire team the very best as we begin this exciting new chapter together," Ambani stated on Thursday.

What does Luke Williams bring to Mumbai Indians?

Williams arrives at Mumbai Indians with an impressive record of winning women's franchise titles across multiple competitions and countries. He guided the Adelaide Strikers to back-to-back Women's Big Bash League championships in 2022 and 2023. He then moved to the Women's Premier League, where he coached Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the 2024 WPL title.

In 2023, Williams was also part of a title-winning setup in The Hundred as an assistant coach. Taken together, his coaching record includes three consecutive women's franchise titles across different competitions, making him one of the more decorated coaches in the women's game.

Since 2025, Williams has served as assistant coach with the England Women's team, adding international exposure to his franchise pedigree. His appointment at Mumbai Indians represents a return to franchise cricket at the highest level of the women's game.

Away from coaching, Williams is a three-time winner of the Bradman Medal for grade cricket, having received the award in the 2005/06, 2007/08 and 2009/10 seasons. The Bradman Medal is awarded to the best grade cricketer in Australia, underlining the playing foundation on which his coaching career has been built.

With Williams now confirmed as head coach and Harmanpreet Kaur continuing as the skipper, the Mumbai-based side have their core leadership structure in place for the 2027 WPL League campaign. The auction for the WPL 2027 auction will be held in Kochi on October 28.