In the aftermath of a crushing 8-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Match 18 at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, on January 29, UP Warriorz skipper Meg Lanning faced the media with characteristic candour.
Her side slumped to 143/8 after a promising 74-run opening stand with Deepti Sharma, only for Nadine de Klerk’s match-defining 4/22, including Lanning’s 41 off 30, to spark a collapse. RCB chased it down with 41 balls to spare, powered by Grace Harris’s all-round Player of the Match fireworks (75 off 37 and 2/22) and Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten 54 off 27, securing RCB’s top table finish and direct final berth for the title clash on February 5, 2026.
Now rooted at the bottom with 4 points from 7 games, two wins, five losses, UP Warriorz’s playoff dreams teetered on a miracle in their finale against Delhi Capitals on February 1 at the same venue. Lanning, the former Delhi Capitals talisman who guided them to three straight league-stage toppers and runner-up finishes before her ₹1.90 crore move to UP Warriorz at the November 27, 2025, mega auction, dissected the season’s inconsistencies.
On promoting Deepti Sharma to open, a tactical masterstroke yielding her 55 off 43, Lanning praised the all-rounder’s adaptability, “It just gave us a different option and we felt like we could give Deepti a really clear role opening the batting, she went out and did that, so full credit to her and a change of role, but she adapted really nicely.”
Reflecting on the campaign’s core issue, Lanning pinpointed a lack of sustained partnerships: “Yeah, I think we’ve played some good cricket in patches, but we haven’t been consistent enough. You know, every time we’ve got some momentum with the bat and built a partnership, we’ve sort of lost that and then lost some wickets in clumps as well. We’ve seen the teams who have been successful through this tournament put on big partnerships and really not give the other team a sniff, and unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do that.”
Captaincy challenges loomed large in a post-auction rebuild with new faces and coaching staff. “It’s always a challenge for every team coming together after a mega auction. That’s no excuse for the results we’ve had. But there’s been a lot of passion and effort put in by a lot of people. That’s why you get so disappointed when the results don’t go your way.”
Looking ahead, Lanning urged a fearless finale: “Give our everything and, you know, again there’s nothing to lose. Go out there and play with some really good energy. Take it to the opposition, put them under some pressure, and hopefully we can finish off the season on a high.” She even tipped her cap to RCB: “RCB have been the best team all season. They deserve their spot in the final, so good luck to them.”
As UP Warriorz grappled with batting woes, exemplified by Kiran Navgire’s dismal 16 runs at a 66.66 strike rate in 6 innings, Lanning’s words underscore a season of promise undone by fragility. Can they summon one last roar against Jemimah Rodrigues’ Capitals?
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