UP Warriorz started the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) with high expectations but now face a tough exit. In the 18th match at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, they suffered an eight-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). This defeat confirmed RCB’s place in the finals while leaving UPW at the bottom of the table.
Continuing Struggles for UP Warriorz Against RCB in WPL 2026
The match reflected the Warriorz’s overall struggles this season. After a solid start, with captain Meg Lanning scoring 41 and Deepti Sharma making 55 in a 74-run opening partnership, they quickly fell apart. Lanning’s wicket, taken by Nadine de Klerk, triggered a collapse as the team lost several wickets and ended up with a total of 143/8.
The bowling was also weak. RCB’s Grace Harris, facing her former teammates, scored 75 off 37 balls, supported by Smriti Mandhana, who remained not out at 54. RCB chased down the target in just 13.1 overs. The reaction when Harris got out showed the Warriorz understood that their playoff hopes were slipping away.
Meg Lanning Discusses Reasons for UP Warriorz’s Early Exit from WPL 2026
After the match, Lanning spoke about what went wrong this season. She highlighted the team’s inconsistency, noting that they often lost momentum after making good starts. “Every time we’ve built a partnership, we’ve lost wickets and that has been costly,” she said during the press conference. This inability to complete matches was crucial in such a tight tournament.
Lanning also mentioned the significant changes to the squad. Following the mega auction, where only uncapped player Shweta Sehrawat was retained, the team brought in new faces, including Lanning as captain and Abhishek Nayar as head coach. Although she did not blame the changes, she recognized the challenge of forming a cohesive team quickly.
She remarked, “It’s always tough for teams to regroup after a auction… you need to get together as best you can.” Ultimately, the Warriorz’s season, with five losses in seven matches, illustrates the difficulties faced by a newly formed team. Despite having talented players like Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti, they struggled to find a winning edge against their rivals.