In a dramatic turnaround that captivated Women’s Premier League (WPL) fans, Harleen Deol transformed from a controversially retired-out batter to the unbeaten hero of UP Warriorz’s first win in the 4th edition of the WPL.
Just a day after Gujarat Giants’ Ayushi Soni became the first player in league history to be retired out, Deol suffered the same fate against Delhi Capitals on January 14, 2026, at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, only to silence critics with a blistering 64* (39 balls) in the thrilling chase against Mumbai Indians the next day.
On January 13, Ayushi Soni of Gujarat Giants became the first in WPL history to be retired out against the Mumbai Indians at DY Patil Stadium. Replaced by Bharti Fulmali, who fired 36* off 15 balls to provide finishing touches, the move offered short-term momentum, but the Giants still ended up on the losing side by 7 wickets.
UP Warriorz echoed the strategy in their 7th match against Delhi Capitals, led by Jemimah Rodrigues. With skipper Meg Lanning at the helm, head coach Abhishek Nayar stunned everyone by retiring out a well-set Harleen Deol (47 off 36 balls, strike rate 130.56, 7 boundaries) before the 18th over. Visibly shocked and distraught, just three runs shy of her half-century, Deol trudged off, replaced by Chloe Tryon.
The move backfired spectacularly: Tryon fell for 1 (3 balls) to N Sree Charani in the same over, and Warriorz limped to 154/8, adding just 13 runs in the last 18 balls. Delhi Capitals edged them out off the final ball, leaving fans fuming at Nayar’s call.
Redemption came swiftly on January 15 at the same venue. Facing Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians, Lanning won the toss and bowled first, restricting Mumbai to 161/5 in 20 overs. Chasing 162, UP Warriorz slumped to 45/2 in the 7th over, needing acceleration. Enter Harleen Deol at No. 4, a bold response to her prior heartbreak.
Deol delivered a match-winning masterclass: an unbeaten 64 off 39 balls, laced with 12 boundaries. She anchored a crucial 73-run stand for the 3rd wicket with Phoebe Litchfield, followed by another quick-fire 44-run alliance for the 4th with Chloe Tryon (27* off 11 balls), the very player who had replaced her disastrously the day before. UP Warriorz cruised home with 7 wickets intact and 11 balls spare, snapping a hat-trick of defeats for their first win.
Deol’s resilience underscores her value to UP Warriorz and was well celebrated among fans. After early-season struggles, her redemption keeps their playoff hopes alive in a tournament already buzzing with records.
Loves all things female cricket