WPL 2026: Meg Lanning appointed UP Warriorz captain

In a recent development, UP Warriorz have named senior cricketer Meg Lanning as their captain ahead of the 2026 season of the Women's Premier League. Lanning will be seen in a captaincy role in WPL for the fourth straight season, but this time for a different time. She led Delhi Capitals to three finals in all the WPL seasons so far, but the side has failed to go the distance. Lanning will look to do for Warriorz now.

Lanning, who has won five T20 World Cups and a couple of ODI World Cups as captain in the past, has expressed her excitement at joining the Uttar Pradesh-based franchise as the leader ahead of the upcoming season. The seasoned campaigner is also confident that the Warriorz will leave no stone unturned to lift their maiden trophy in the cash-rich tournament.

"This is a talented group with a strong mix of international experience and Indian players, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead. We'll work hard together and give ourselves every opportunity to lift the trophy," Lanning said via a media statement.

Meanwhile, Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar also opined his views on the onboarding of the former Australia batter as the skipper. The head coach believes that Lanning boasts a plethora of experience behind her back, and knows how to create a team environment through leading by example. He further said that Lanning becomes an ideal skipper for the qualities she has shown over the years. 

"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. We're confident she will play a key role in shaping the team's approach this season," Nayar was quoted as saying.

The 2026 season of WPL will commence on Friday, January 9, but the UP Warriorz will be opening their campaign on Saturday by taking on the Gujarat Giants. Their next clash will be against the 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The team still awaits its first finale entry and will look to change their fortunes by playing some quality cricket under Lanning.

UP Warriorz squad for WPL 2026: Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Meg Lanning (captain), Phoebe Litchfield (wicketkeeper), Kiran Navgire, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Asha Sobhana, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Tara Norris, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, G Trisha, Pratika Rawal