UP Warriorz claimed their first win of WPL 2026, defeating Mumbai Indians by seven wickets with 11 balls remaining as Harleen Deol showcased her class.
Harleen Deol starred in the chase with an unbeaten
64 off 39 balls (12 fours), anchoring key partnerships amid a redemption arc following her controversial retirement in the prior match. The bowlers maintained discipline throughout, setting up the successful pursuit at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
From Retired Out to Heroics
In UP Warriorz's previous outing, Harleen Deol batted steadily but was retired out by head coach Abhishek Nayar at the end of the 17th over to introduce power-hitters for the death overs. Visibly shocked, she questioned the call before walking off, drawing criticism and controversy as Chloe Tryon later replaced her. This tactical decision backfired, contributing to the loss, but fueled Deol's resolve for the next game.
Less than 24 hours later, Deol silenced doubters with a composed masterclass, building a 73-run stand with Phoebe Litchfield and a quick 44-run finish with Chloe Tryon (27* off 11). Her off-side timing and boundary-finding precision guided UPW to 162/3 in 18.1 overs, marking their breakthrough victory after three defeats.
Reflecting on the team's first win, Harleen Deol said: "Feels really good to get the first win and I'm happy for the team. I felt I was batting well in the previous game too, so nothing changed much in terms of preparation. Sometimes it just comes off on the day, and you find a few boundary balls. The wicket in the first innings was a little tough to score on, but it got better later, and I just focused on contributing in the best way I could for the team. "
