WPL 2025: UP Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma urges home fans to cheer them on

One of the most competitive women’s cricket competitions, the WPL, has now reached the UP Warriorz’s home ground in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The goal for the home team, the UP Warriorz, led by Jon Lewis and captained by Deepti Sharma, is to adjust to their environment so that there are as few hiccups as possible on their path to the WPL Season 3 playoffs. The UP Warriorz, who are captained by one of the most recognisable cricketers in the state, will be playing at home in the WPL for the first time.

On March 3, the Capri Sports-owned UP Warriorz will play their inaugural match against the Gujarat Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Following that, on March 6 and 8, the UP Warriorz, led by coach Jon Lewis, play the Mumbai Indians and the reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, respectively.

“The UP Warriorz have been waiting for two seasons 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,” skipper Deepti Sharma, who is also one of the top all-rounders in the game, stated in reference to the upcoming home games. And to make sure we provide our home fans in Lucknow an amazing event, we will collaborate as a team.

We hope the pitch will help us, as it has historically aided the spinners. I’m hopeful that the entire Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium will be cheering for us, as it will undoubtedly provide us with a lot of energy. When you play at home, you receive a different kind of drive from the crowd.

“The most important thing about this part of the tournament will be adaptability,” coach Jon Lewis remarked in reference to the team’s strategy for the following three games. We will adjust to the conditions over the course of the next several days and get ready to handle any situation. We have a really well-balanced roster with many excellent possibilities, which is what gives the team and me confidence.

The UP Warriorz have been greatly impacted by players like Deepti Sharma,

Sophie Ecclestone, and Grace Harris, as well as Chinelle Henry. However, the younger Indian team, which includes players like Shweta Sehrawat and Vrinda Dinesh, has also made an impression.

“It is a big opportunity for me to be turning out for the UP Warriorz, and I have really enjoyed from the first day,” Vrinda Dinesh remarked in reference to her experience. On and off the pitch, I have learnt a lot over the past few years, and I am excited to play in the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, where I have never played before.

While the Deepti Sharma-led team is still putting up a strong battle on the pitch, Capri Sports has been steadily establishing the groundwork for a strong women’s cricket environment in Uttar Pradesh over the past few years. “The UP Warriorz has always been keen to give back to society, because when the WPL began we saw how excited the players were,” explained Jinisha Sharma, Director, Capri Sports, in reference to their initiatives in Uttar Pradesh.

It is our duty to support the next generation, and we want to do everything in our power to do so. Our programs are heavily centred on women’s education, sports, and empowerment in order to consider their general well-being. In order to continue encouraging young females to participate in sports, we are collaborating to maintain ongoing engagement with schools and the UP Cricket Association.

UP Warriorz WPL 2025 Squad: Deepti Sharma (C), Uma Chetry (WK), Chinelle Henry, Poonam Khamnar, Kiran Navgire, Dinesh Vrinda, Georgia Voll, Grace Harris, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Anjali Sarvani, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud, Gouher Sultana