UP Warriorz faced a major setback as Alyssa Healy withdrew from the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 due to a stress injury in her right foot, which she sustained during the Women’s Ashes against England. With Healy unavailable, the team appointed Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma as the new captain. They also brought in West Indies all-rounder Chinelle Henry as her replacement.
Healy, a key player for every team she has represented, has struggled with injuries recently. A knee issue sidelined her during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the Women’s Big Bash League. Now, her foot injury has forced her to miss the WPL, posing a challenge for UP Warriorz, whom she led well in previous seasons.
With this change, Deepti becomes the third Indian captain in WPL 2025, joining Smriti Mandhana (RCB) and Harmanpreet Kaur (MI). Deepti has been a consistent performer for UP Warriorz, excelling with both bat and ball. In WPL 2024, she scored 295 runs at a strike rate of 136.57, averaging an impressive 98.33 in eight matches. She also picked up nine wickets at an economy of 7.23, emerging as her team’s highest run-scorer and the tournament’s fifth overall.
Signed for ₹2.60 crore in the WPL’s inaugural auction, Deepti initially struggled with the bat but bounced back strongly in 2024. Her all-round brilliance was also evident in the Women’s Hundred 2024, where she secured a title-winning six for London Spirit. Recognized for her performances, she was named in the ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year 2024.
UP Warriorz will begin their WPL 2025 campaign on 16th February against Gujarat Giants, who have also appointed a new captain, Ashleigh Gardner, replacing Beth Mooney.
