UP Warriorz Unveil Banarasi Heritage Inspired Jersey Ahead Of WPL 2026

WPL 2026: UP Warriorz have presented a new playing jersey for the Women's Premier League 2026 season, created with design partner Ekaya Banaras. The kit links Banarasi textile traditions with professional

cricket gear, reflecting themes of courage, identity and fearless play for the Lucknow-based franchise as the team prepares for the coming campaign.

The strip, which will be worn through the full WPL 2026 season, will also reach supporters via official merchandise outlets. UP Warriorz are scheduled to open their tournament against Gujarat Giants on January 10 at the DY Patil Stadium, where the new jersey will appear in competitive action for the first time.

Central to the launch is the UP Warriorz x Ekaya design concept named "A Blooming Rebellion", which combines modern sportswear with long-standing weaving practices from Banaras. The artwork draws on the city's floral heritage and Ekaya's silk craft, reshaping traditional motifs into a performance-led visual style aimed at elite T20 cricket.

The jersey's Banarasi-inspired detailing is built into a sharp athletic shape that supports speed, flexibility and comfort. Designers have highlighted symbols linked with strength, continuity and renewal in Banarasi culture, using floral elements to suggest stories woven in silk, while keeping the overall look focused on a confident, forward-looking team identity.

Ekaya and UP Warriorz have positioned the kit as a statement on culture and modern femininity, with the floral theme intended to show tradition being carried ahead on the players' own terms. The design aims to give cricketers a stronger sense of belonging and purpose, representing both Uttar Pradesh and the broader rise of women's cricket in India.

The partnership also underlines how WPL franchises are turning to regional crafts for visual identity. By rooting the UP Warriorz jersey in Banarasi heritage, the franchise links local textile history with a national television platform, offering fans a recognisable symbol while keeping performance standards suited to the speed and demands of the T20 format.

UP Warriorz jersey launch sits within Capri Sports structure

UP Warriorz operate under Capri Sports, which is part of the Capri Global Holdings group. Capri Sports manages franchise interests across several leagues, including the Women's Premier League team, a UAE ILT20 League side and a Pro-Kabaddi League outfit, reflecting the group's push into organised sports alongside its core financial services businesses.

Capri Global Capital Limited (CGCL), the group's Non-Banking Financial Company, is listed on both BSE and NSE and features in the NIFTY Smallcap 250 Index. CGCL focuses on lending to segments such as MSME Loans, Affordable Housing Finance, Gold Loan and Construction Finance, and also distributes car loan products for major commercial banks.

Through a network of more than 1100 branches across 19 States and Union Territories in Northern and Western India, CGCL targets borrowers who often have limited access to banking. This broader Capri structure frames the UP Warriorz jersey launch as one element within a diversified portfolio that spans finance and professional sport under a single corporate umbrella.