UP Warriorz Welcome Captain Meg Lanning With Surprise From Young Fans

UP Warriorz celebrated the appointment of Meg Lanning as their captain with a special event in Navi Mumbai on Monday, where young fans and cricketers under the age of 12 surprised the new leader.

The celebration featured girls welcoming Lanning with music and song, performing a curated mix of popular Hollywood tunes and cultural melodies dedicated to the Australian star.

During the interaction, Lanning answered several questions from the girls, revealing that dosa is one of her favourite Indian dishes and that Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were her cricketing idols growing up.

The girls also presented Lanning with heartfelt messages on a board, wishing her and the team success ahead of the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season.

Lanning warmly

engaged with the young fans, signing autographs, posing for group photos, and spending time with the children, making the occasion memorable for everyone present. The event underscored UP Warriorz’s dedication to inspiring young talent both on and off the field.

The celebration highlighted the growing enthusiasm for women’s cricket and how UP Warriorz are fostering aspirations for girls as the franchise embarks on an exciting new chapter under Meg Lanning’s leadership in the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League.

What Did Coach Say?

Earlier in the day, UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar expressed confidence in his team’s potential to make a significant impact in the 2026 WPL if the squad can come together and perform as a cohesive unit.

At the mega auction last year, UPW assembled a mix of experienced and young players to pursue their maiden title under Lanning’s leadership. “My message is very simple. This sport is about the players, not the coach. The type of cricket you are playing, just play that type of cricket.

“It is important that you play as a team. If this team can play together, it will be very good. The vision is clear. We will try to play good cricket. Whenever you enter a tournament, the mindset is always to win it. We will keep an eye on every player’s form and try to perform well,” Nayar told IANS at the pre-season press conference on Monday.

The WPL has successfully discovered talents who have progressed to the Indian team, and Nayar assured that this trend will continue in the upcoming season from January 9 to February 5.

“The format and the speciality of this tournament is that they are continuously giving good players to India and the Indian team. This time, we will try to get a new star from this tournament.”

(With inputs from Agencies)