UP Warriorz Team Profile WPL 2026: Squad, Key Players & Season Review

UP Warriorz have carved out a reputation as the most unpredictable franchise in the Women's Premier League. On their day, this team can beat anyone in the tournament — their Australian-heavy overseas contingent, led by Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris, and Tahlia McGrath, brings the kind of explosive cricket that fills stadiums and terrifies opposition captains. But consistency has been the elusive ingredient, and WPL 2026 was another season of tantalising glimpses without the sustained run needed to challenge for the title.

This team profile examines the UP Warriorz squad in detail, highlights their match-winning individuals, reviews the WPL 2026 campaign, and assesses what the franchise needs to take the next step. For full WPL analysis and predictions, visit our WPL 2026 hub.

---

UP Warriorz Full Squad for WPL 2026

UP Warriorz went all-in on Australian firepower at the auction while building a solid Indian support cast. The squad is designed for aggressive, high-scoring cricket that aims to overwhelm opponents with sheer batting power.

Indian Players

Player	Role	Batting	Bowling
Deepika Khatri	Wicketkeeper-Batter	Right-hand	—
Rajeshwari Gayakwad	Bowler	Right-hand	Left-arm orthodox
Anjali Sarvani	Bowler	Right-hand	Right-arm medium
Kiran Navgire	All-rounder	Right-hand	Right-arm medium
Simran Shaikh	All-rounder	Right-hand	Right-arm off-break
Titas Sadhu	Bowler	Right-hand	Right-arm medium
Parshavi Chopra	Bowler	Left-hand	Left-arm orthodox
Uma Chetry	Wicketkeeper-Batter	Right-hand	—

Overseas Players

Player	Country	Role
Alyssa Healy (C)	Australia	Wicketkeeper-Batter
Grace Harris	Australia	All-rounder
Tahlia McGrath	Australia	All-rounder
Chamari Athapaththu	Sri Lanka	Batter

---

Captain Profile: Alyssa Healy

Alyssa Healy is one of the most decorated cricketers in the women's game. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter has won World Cups, set batting records, and captained Australia to the summit of international cricket. In the WPL, she brings that winning mentality to UP Warriorz, setting the tempo from the very first ball of the innings.

WPL 2026 stats:

• Runs: 310 in 10 innings
• Average: 34.44
• Strike Rate: 145.07
• Fifties: 2
• Highest Score: 72

Healy is at her most dangerous in the powerplay, where her ability to pick up lengths early and exploit the fielding restrictions makes her the most feared opener in the WPL. Her wicketkeeping is also world-class — she completed four stumpings in WPL 2026, the most by any keeper in the tournament.

---

Key Players to Watch

Grace Harris (Australia)

Grace Harris is pure entertainment. The powerful Australian all-rounder hits the ball harder than almost anyone in women's cricket, with a six-hitting ability that rivals the best in the men's game. In WPL 2026, Harris smashed 260 runs at a strike rate of 158, providing the middle-order brutality that UP Warriorz's game plan depends on.

Her bowling is an underrated asset. Harris bowls useful off-spin that gives the captain another option in the middle overs, and she picked up 6 wickets across the season — often breaking frustrating partnerships that other bowlers could not.

What makes Harris special is her fearlessness. She plays the same way whether the team is 150/1 or 80/4, backing herself to clear the boundary regardless of the match situation. That mentality is infectious and sets the tone for the entire UP Warriorz middle order.

Tahlia McGrath (Australia)

Tahlia McGrath is the glue that holds the UP Warriorz lineup together. While Healy and Harris provide the fireworks, McGrath provides the substance — batting with composure and intelligence while also delivering crucial medium-pace overs that tie down opposition batters.

In WPL 2026, McGrath scored 290 runs at an average of 36.25 while taking 9 wickets with her seam bowling. Those dual contributions make her one of the most valuable players in the entire tournament, not just for UP Warriorz. Her ability to assess conditions and adjust her game accordingly — defending on slow pitches, attacking on flat ones — demonstrates a cricket brain that few can match.

Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)

The Sri Lankan superstar is one of the most destructive batters in women's cricket history. Chamari Athapaththu's WPL 2026 campaign was highlighted by two devastating innings — 64 off 32 balls against RCB-W and 58 off 35 balls against MI-W — that reminded everyone why she is considered one of the cleanest hitters in the game.

Titas Sadhu

The young Indian pacer was the breakout Indian performer for UP Warriorz in WPL 2026. Titas Sadhu bowled with genuine pace and impressive control for a player of her age, taking 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.10. Her ability to bowl yorkers at the death — something many experienced WPL bowlers struggle with — makes her an incredibly valuable asset for the franchise going forward.

---

WPL 2026 Season Review

UP Warriorz had a frustrating WPL 2026 campaign that encapsulated both their extraordinary talent and their maddening inconsistency.

Stat	Value
Matches Played	10
Won	4
Lost	6
Highest Team Score	189/4 vs DC-W
Best Individual Score	Alyssa Healy — 72 off 42 balls
Top Wicket-Taker	Titas Sadhu — 10 wickets
Highest Partnership	98 (Healy & McGrath vs MI-W)

Season Highlights

189/4 against DC-W: UP Warriorz's batting lineup fired on all cylinders against Delhi Capitals Women, posting the second-highest team total of the season. Healy, McGrath, and Harris all contributed with scores above 40, and the bowlers defended the total comfortably.

Healy-McGrath partnership vs MI-W: The 98-run opening stand between Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath against Mumbai Indians Women was the highest partnership of the season for UP Warriorz. It demonstrated what this team is capable of when the top order clicks.

Titas Sadhu's emergence: The young Indian pacer announced herself on the WPL stage with figures of 3/24 against Gujarat Giants Women. Her raw pace and willingness to bowl the hard lengths under pressure marked her as a future star of Indian cricket.

What Went Wrong

UP Warriorz's WPL 2026 season was undermined by three specific issues.

First, the Indian batting depth was insufficient. When the Australian trio and Chamari were dismissed cheaply, the remaining batters could not hold the innings together. In four of their six losses, UP Warriorz were bowled out for under 130 — totals that were never going to be competitive.

Second, the spin bowling lacked a genuine wicket-taker. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Parshavi Chopra bowled economically but rarely threatened to take wickets, allowing opposition batters to play them out and target the pace bowlers.

Third, the fielding was below par. UP Warriorz dropped 11 catches across the season — the most of any franchise — and several of those came at crucial moments that swung matches against them.

---

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Top-order firepower: Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, and Grace Harris form one of the most explosive top-order combinations in T20 cricket globally
• Overseas quality: Three Australian internationals plus Chamari Athapaththu gives UP Warriorz four genuine match-winners
• Pace bowling potential: Titas Sadhu, Anjali Sarvani, and McGrath provide a pace attack with variety and skill
• Wicketkeeping: Alyssa Healy behind the stumps is a massive advantage — her glovework creates dismissals that other keepers would miss

Weaknesses

• Indian batting fragility: The Indian batters beyond Kiran Navgire have not demonstrated the ability to anchor an innings when overseas stars fail
• Spin bowling weakness: No frontline spinner who can both take wickets and control runs in the middle overs
• Fielding: 11 dropped catches across the season is unacceptable for a professional franchise
• Over-dependence on Australians: When the three Australian players contribute, UP Warriorz win; when they do not, the team collapses — that reliance must be addressed

---

Predicted Playing XI for WPL 2026

No.	Player	Role
1	Alyssa Healy (C/WK)	Opener
2	Chamari Athapaththu	Opener
3	Tahlia McGrath	No. 3 / Medium pace
4	Grace Harris	No. 4 / Off-spin
5	Kiran Navgire	No. 5
6	Simran Shaikh	No. 6 / Off-spin
7	Deepika Khatri	No. 7
8	Titas Sadhu	Pace
9	Anjali Sarvani	Pace
10	Rajeshwari Gayakwad	Left-arm spin
11	Parshavi Chopra	Left-arm spin

---

Looking Ahead

UP Warriorz have the overseas talent to win the WPL — that has never been in doubt. The challenge is developing the Indian core to a level where the team does not collapse when Healy, Harris, and McGrath have quiet days. The emergence of Titas Sadhu is a huge positive, and if the franchise can find one or two more Indian match-winners at the next auction, UP Warriorz could be the surprise package of WPL 2027.

For continued WPL analysis, explore our WPL 2026 coverage.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Who captains UP Warriorz in WPL 2026?

Alyssa Healy captains UP Warriorz in WPL 2026. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter is one of the most decorated players in women's cricket and leads from the front with aggressive batting in the powerplay and sharp wicketkeeping.

Who are the key overseas players for UP Warriorz?

UP Warriorz's overseas contingent includes Alyssa Healy (Australia), Grace Harris (Australia), Tahlia McGrath (Australia), and Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka). The three Australians form the core of the team's batting and bowling lineup.

How did UP Warriorz perform in WPL 2026?

UP Warriorz won 4 out of 10 matches in WPL 2026, finishing outside the playoff positions. Their main issues were inconsistency from the Indian batters, a lack of wicket-taking spin bowlers, and poor fielding with 11 dropped catches across the season.

What does UP Warriorz need to improve for next season?

UP Warriorz need to strengthen their Indian batting depth, find a quality wicket-taking spinner for the middle overs, and dramatically improve their fielding. Addressing these three areas would transform them from an inconsistent side into genuine title contenders.