Navi Mumbai: UP Warriorz marked the appointment of Meg Lanning as their new captain with a warm, emotional celebration that perfectly captured the spirit of women’s cricket. The event, held in Navi Mumbai on Monday, brought together young fans and under-12 girls cricketers who surprised the Australian legend with songs, smiles and plenty of admiration.
The girls welcomed Lanning with a lively musical performance, blending popular international tracks with cultural melodies curated especially for the occasion. The gesture left the newly-appointed skipper visibly touched as she took in the enthusiasm of the next generation of cricketers.
A candid chat with young fans
During an informal interaction, Lanning answered questions from the children with ease and warmth. She revealed that dosa ranks among her favourite Indian dishes and shared that legends Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were her idols while growing up.
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The moment turned even more special when the girls presented her with a message board filled with handwritten notes, wishing her and the team luck ahead of the upcoming Women’s Premier League season.
Lanning spent time signing autographs, posing for group photographs and chatting with the youngsters, making it a memorable day for everyone involved.
UP Warriorz focus on inspiring young talent
The celebration underlined the vision of UP Warriorz to inspire young girls through the game. With Lanning at the helm, the franchise is looking to build a strong connect both on and off the field as it enters the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League.
Earlier in the day, UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar expressed confidence in the squad’s potential, stressing the importance of unity and clarity of purpose.
“This sport is about the players, not the coach,” Nayar said on the sidelines of the pre-season press conference. “If the team plays together and stays true to its style of cricket, the results will follow. The mindset is always to win.”
Building towards WPL 2026
At the mega auction last year, UP Warriorz assembled a mix of experienced names and promising young talent, aiming to push for their maiden title under Lanning’s leadership. Nayar added that the franchise will closely monitor player form as the season progresses.
The Women’s Premier League has already proved to be a strong platform for identifying future stars for India, and the coach believes the trend will continue when the 2026 season gets underway from January 9 to February 5.
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“The speciality of this tournament is that it keeps producing players for the Indian team,” Nayar said. “This season too, we’ll try to find a new star.”
As anticipation builds, UP Warriorz appear ready for a fresh chapter—driven by leadership, youthful energy and growing fandom for women’s cricket.
