India all-rounder Deepti Sharma has been appointed captain of UP Warriorz for the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025, stepping in for Alyssa Healy, who has been ruled out due to injury. Having served as vice-captain in WPL 2024, Deepti is now set to take full charge of the team.
Healy, Australia’s national captain, was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a stress injury in her right foot. Her absence leaves a significant void, particularly in UP Warriorz’s batting lineup. However, Deepti’s exceptional performance in the previous edition makes her a strong replacement in the leadership role.
Deepti’s strong WPL 2024 numbers
In WPL 2024, Deepti was UP Warriorz’s leading run-scorer and the fifth-highest overall in the tournament, despite batting in the top four only twice. She accumulated 295 runs at an astonishing average of 98.33, having been dismissed just twice in eight innings. With the ball, she was equally effective, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker for Warriorz with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.23.
By taking over the captaincy, Deepti joins Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians) as the third Indian player leading a WPL franchise. This highlights the increasing leadership roles for Indian players in the league.
While Deepti’s appointment strengthens the team’s leadership, Healy’s absence remains a major setback for UP Warriorz. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter has struggled with injuries over the past few months. She missed multiple matches in the Women’s T20 World Cup and the latter half of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) due to a knee injury. Additionally, a foot injury ruled her out of the T20I leg of the Women’s Ashes.
With the WPL 2025 season approaching, all eyes will be on Deepti Sharma as she looks to guide UP Warriorz to a strong campaign in her first full-fledged leadership role.
