Meg Lanning appointed as UP Warriorz’s captain for WPL 2026:7-times World Champion roped in for ₹1.90 cr in mega auction; nears 1,000 tournament runs

Former Delhi Capitals skipper Meg Lanning has been appointed as the new captain of UP Warriors for the upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Lanning replaces Deepti Sharma, who led the team last season after regular captain Alyssa Healy was ruled out due to injury. The move brings vast leadership experience to the UP Warriors, who are still searching for their first WPL title. Lanning had earlier captained Delhi Capitals and guided them to the finals on three occasions, making her one of the most successful leaders in the league. The fourth season of the WPL will begin on January 9, with teams preparing for an exciting tournament. With Meg Lanning at the helm, UP Warriors will hope that the new season finally brings them their first WPL trophy. Also read: Pro Panja League 3 goes global, to have international athletes: Tournament founders Preeti Jhangiani, Parvinn Dabass speak on arm-wrestling’s future in India Bought for ₹1.90 Crore in WPL mega auction 2026 Meg Lanning was bought by UP Warriors for Rs 1.90 crore in the last mega auction. She was released by the Delhi Capitals, who also tried to buy her back, but UP won the bidding war. Under Lanning’s leadership, Delhi Capitals reached the WPL finals three times, but lost twice to Mumbai Indians and once to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Despite those defeats, her consistent leadership and batting made her a key figure in the league. Meg Lanning nears 1,000 runs in WPL Lanning has been one of the most reliable batters in WPL history. She has scored 952 runs in 27 matches, making her the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament so far. UP Warriors head coach Abhishek Nayar praised her appointment, saying that Lanning’s experience and calm mindset make her one of the best leaders in world cricket. He added that she understands the game deeply and knows how to handle pressure situations. Lanning guides Australia to 7 World Cup titles Meg Lanning retired from international cricket in 2024, ending one of the most successful captaincy careers in women’s cricket. Under her leadership, Australia won 7 World Cups, including 2 ODI World Cups and 5 T20 World Cups. Also read: Sam Curran (74) guides Desert Vipers to maiden ILT20 title: Defeated MI Emirates by 46 runs, bowled out for 136 runs in 18.3 overs; Pyne-Naseem bag 3-wickets each After her retirement, Alyssa Healy took over as Australia’s captain. However, the team was eliminated in the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ODI World Cup. UP Warriors still searching for their maiden WPL title UP Warriors have not yet won a WPL title. Alyssa Healy captained the team in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, leading them to the playoffs but not the final. In 2025, Deepti Sharma took charge, but UP failed to qualify for the playoffs. Deepti will continue to play for UP in the fourth season after being bought for ₹3.20 crore. Tournament begins on January 9 for season 4 The fourth season of the WPL will begin on January 9, with 22 matches to be played in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. The final will be held in Vadodara on January 5. Defending champions Mumbai Indians, the most successful team with two titles, will face Royal Challengers Bangalore, the 2024 champions, in the opening match.