Despite a difficult start, UP Warriorz, captained by Deepti Sharma, have been resilient in the ongoing Women’s Premier League 2025. At the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, they will play in front of their home audience for the first time as they prepare for their home games in Lucknow. The team is keen to take advantage of home and keep fighting for qualification since the playoffs are still within reach.
UP Warriorz suffered consecutive losses in Vadodara to start their campaign. They lost against Delhi Capitals by seven wickets after scoring 166, and they also lost to the Gujarat Giants by six wickets after failing to defend 143. But in their subsequent match, the team recovered strongly, defeating Delhi Capitals by 33 runs owing to Grace Harris’ incredible 4/15, including a hat-trick, and Chinelle Henry’s scorching 62 off 23 balls.
They defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first-ever WPL Super Over battle in their subsequent game. UP Warriorz advanced to the Super Over thanks to Sophie Ecclestone’s outstanding all-around effort, which included a rapid 33 off 19 balls and a stunning nine-run defence that resulted in an exciting victory. However, the team faltered in their most recent outing against Mumbai Indians, failing to defend 142 and suffering an eight-wicket loss.
Captain Deepti Sharma urged supporters to cheer for the team and underlined the importance of playing at home. “For two seasons, the UP Warriorz have waited to play on their home ground, and now that we are here, it feels nice that we will be in front of our own fans and families. And we will work together as a unit to ensure we put on a fantastic show for our home fans in Lucknow.
“The pitch traditionally helps the spinners, and we are hopeful it will help us too. When you play at home, there is a different kind of motivation that you get thanks to the fans, and I am hoping the whole of the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium will be chanting for us and that will surely give us a lot of motivation.”
Adaptability is crucial for their coming home games, according to head coach Jon Lewis and he remarked, “The most important thing about this part of the tournament will be adaptability. Over the next few days, we will get more accustomed to the conditions and prepare in a way that we can combat all situations. What gives the team and me confidence is that we have a really well-balanced side with lots of good options in the squad.”
Vrinda Dinesh became the second most expensive player at the WPL 2024 Auction with an incredible INR 1.3 crore price, making headlines. However, she only made two appearances during her debut season due to an untimely injury. Vrinda, who has been retained by UP Warriorz, is now focused on making an impression in the WPL 2025 after participating in five games and scoring 73 runs at a strike rate of 104.
She shared her experience by saying, “It is a big opportunity for me to be turning out for the UP Warriorz, and I have really enjoyed it from the first day. There has been plenty of learning for me in the last couple of years, both on and off the field, and I am looking forward to playing at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, where I have never played before.”
Shweta Sehrawat, Vrinda Dinesh, and Kiran Navgire are among the young Indian players who have made notable contributions and will be crucial in the team’s next games as the Warriorz get ready to play the Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, and RCB at home.
Capri Sports Director Jinisha Sharma reiterated the importance of this phase by remarking, “The UP Warriorz has always been keen to give back to society, because when the WPL began we saw how excited the players were. And we want to do our best to support the future generations, and that is our responsibility.
“Our initiatives are very focused on women empowerment, education and sport, so that their overall well-being is looked into. We are working as a team to engage continuously with schools and the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, such that we can keep supporting young girls to take up sport.”
With an enthusiastic home crowd and a team that is ready to make an impression, the UP Warriorz are prepared to compete for a playoff ticket and make memories in Lucknow.
(Quotes sourced from UP Warriorz press release)
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