Lanning and Litchfield partnership seals massive win for Warriorz

UP Warriorz (UPW) have firmly announced their comeback in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026. In a dominant display, they secured a 22-run victory over the defending champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), completing a rare "league double" over the heavyweights.

This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Warriorz, who began their campaign with three straight losses but have now found their winning rhythm.

Lanning and Litchfield Dominate

Put into bat first, UPW faced an immediate setback when Kiran Navgire was bowled for a golden duck by Nicola Carey. However, that was the only moment of joy for MI in the powerplay. Captain Meg Lanning took charge immediately, launching a counter-attack that left the Mumbai bowlers searching for answers.

Lanning found an able partner in Phoebe Litchfield. Together, the Australian duo constructed a massive 119-run partnership off just 74 balls. Both batters scored fluid half-centuries—Lanning smashing 70 and Litchfield contributing a swift 61. Their aggressive batting propelled the team to a formidable total of 187 for 8, despite a late flurry of wickets taken by Amelia Kerr and Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Mumbai Indians Falter in Chase

Chasing 188 was always going to be an uphill battle against a disciplined UPW bowling attack. The Mumbai Indians' batting lineup, which saw some reshuffling, failed to gain momentum early on. Shikha Pandey was instrumental with the ball, picking up key wickets and returning figures of 2-30.

While the top order struggled, the middle order tried to salvage the game. Amelia Kerr played a fighting unbeaten knock of 49, and Amanjot Kaur added a valuable 41. Their partnership brought some life back into the game, but the target proved too distant.

Mumbai eventually finished at 165 for 6, falling short by 22 runs. This loss marks MI's third defeat of the season, while UP Warriorz have successfully kept their playoff hopes alive and kicking.