WPL 2026 Match 3: UPW vs MI-W Prediction, Playing 11, Fantasy Tips

Match 3 of WPL 2026 pits the ambitious UP Warriorz against defending champions Mumbai Indians Women in what promises to be a compelling contest. Alyssa Healy's UPW side has been steadily building towards becoming genuine title contenders, while Harmanpreet Kaur's MI-W carry the weight of expectation as the team everyone wants to beat.

The narrative of this match is straightforward — can UP Warriorz's exciting young core challenge the most successful franchise in WPL history? Alyssa Healy's wicketkeeping and explosive batting at the top, combined with Deepti Sharma's all-round mastery and Tahlia McGrath's seam bowling, give UPW the tools to compete. But MI-W have Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Hayley Matthews — three players who have won more high-pressure T20 matches than most entire squads combined.

Here is everything you need to know about UPW vs MI-W — from predicted playing elevens and Dream11 fantasy tips to our expert match prediction.

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Match Overview

Detail	Information
Match	WPL 2026, Match 3
Teams	UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians Women
Date	Sunday, 29 March 2026
Venue	Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Time	7:30 PM IST
Broadcast	JioCinema (free streaming), Sports18

UP Warriorz get to play in Lucknow, their home base, which gives them a significant advantage in terms of crowd support and familiarity with conditions. The Ekana Stadium has been a good venue for WPL cricket, producing competitive matches that go deep.

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Head-to-Head Record

UPW and MI-W have faced each other five times across WPL 2023, 2024, and 2025. Mumbai Indians Women have dominated this fixture.

Stat	UPW	MI-W
Matches Played	5	5
Wins	1	4
Highest Team Score	161/5	189/3
Lowest Team Score	104	132/7
Average Score	138	159

The numbers paint a clear picture — MI-W have been dominant against UP Warriorz, winning four of five meetings. UPW's sole victory came in WPL 2025 when Alyssa Healy scored a stunning 78 off 42 balls to chase down 156 with two overs to spare. That innings showed what UPW are capable of when Healy fires, but they need their other batters to step up more consistently against MI-W's quality bowling.

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Team Analysis

UP Warriorz

UPW are the team on the rise in WPL 2026. After a difficult inaugural season in 2023, they improved significantly in 2024 and made the playoffs in 2025. With smart auction buys and a growing core of talented Indian players, UPW are building something special under Alyssa Healy's leadership.

Key Players:

• Alyssa Healy (Captain/Wicketkeeper): One of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters in cricket history, regardless of gender. Healy's aggressive approach in the powerplay sets the tone for UPW's innings. She scored 312 runs in WPL 2025, including three half-centuries, and her glovework behind the stumps is exceptional.
• Deepti Sharma: India's most experienced women's all-rounder. Deepti bowls off-spin through the middle overs with miserly economy and bats at 4 or 5, providing stability when wickets fall. Her WPL career economy rate of 6.2 runs per over is remarkable.
• Tahlia McGrath: Australia's emerging star brings pace bowling, useful lower-order batting, and brilliant fielding. McGrath's ability to swing the new ball and bowl at the death makes her one of the most valuable overseas picks in the WPL.

Strengths: Alyssa Healy's powerplay aggression gives them fast starts. Deepti Sharma's bowling control through the middle overs means opposition batters cannot score freely. The team's fielding has improved dramatically under Healy's leadership — they are one of the sharpest outfielding units in the WPL.

Weakness: UPW's middle-order batting remains their Achilles heel. If Healy and the top order fall cheaply, there is a significant gap before Deepti Sharma at 5 or 6. Their death bowling has also been inconsistent — they have sometimes leaked 50+ runs in the last five overs.

Mumbai Indians Women

MI-W are the standard bearers of the WPL. Two titles in three seasons tells you everything about this franchise's mentality. They do not rebuild — they reload. Every season, MI-W find a way to address their weaknesses while maintaining their core strengths.

Key Players:

• Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain): The most decorated women's T20 cricketer in India. Harmanpreet's ability to bat through an innings — scoring at 140+ strike rate while rarely losing her wicket in the middle overs — makes her the fulcrum of MI-W's batting. Her captaincy is aggressive but smart, and she manages her bowlers brilliantly.
• Nat Sciver-Brunt: The complete cricketer. Sciver-Brunt bats at 4, bowls four overs of seam, and fields anywhere. Her WPL record is outstanding — 487 runs and 19 wickets across three seasons, with a batting average above 35 and bowling average below 22.
• Hayley Matthews: West Indian dynamism personified. Matthews hits the ball with extraordinary power in the powerplay, and her off-spin provides useful overs through the middle. Her T20I strike rate of 128 does not do justice to how destructive she can be on flat pitches.

Strengths: The deepest batting lineup in the WPL — MI-W can bat effectively down to number 8. Their bowling attack combines pace (Issy Wong, Shabnim Ismail) with spin (Amelia Kerr, Saika Ishaque) and the all-round quality of Sciver-Brunt. Their experience in pressure situations is unmatched.

Weakness: MI-W can sometimes start slowly in the powerplay, particularly if Matthews falls early. Their spin bowling, while generally good, can be expensive on flat pitches with short boundaries. They also tend to be conservative in their approach when defending moderate totals.

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Predicted Playing 11

UPW Predicted Playing 11

No.	Player	Role
1	Alyssa Healy (c/wk)	Wicketkeeper-Batter
2	Chamari Athapaththu	Batter
3	Tahlia McGrath	All-rounder
4	Kiran Navgire	Batter
5	Deepti Sharma	All-rounder
6	Grace Harris	All-rounder
7	Rajeshwari Gayakwad	Spinner
8	Arundhati Reddy	Fast Bowler
9	Darcie Brown	Fast Bowler
10	Parshavi Chopra	Spinner
11	Anjali Sarvani	Fast Bowler

MI-W Predicted Playing 11

No.	Player	Role
1	Hayley Matthews	All-rounder
2	Yastika Bhatia	Wicketkeeper-Batter
3	Harmanpreet Kaur (c)	Batter
4	Nat Sciver-Brunt	All-rounder
5	Pooja Vastrakar	All-rounder
6	Amelia Kerr	All-rounder
7	Sajeevan Sajana	All-rounder
8	Issy Wong	Fast Bowler
9	Saika Ishaque	Spinner
10	Shabnim Ismail	Fast Bowler
11	Radha Yadav	Spinner

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Dream11 Fantasy Tips

Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Pick	Player	Reason
Captain	Nat Sciver-Brunt	All-round value at its best — bats 4, bowls 4. Scores 30-50 runs and takes 1-2 wickets in most matches.
Vice-Captain	Alyssa Healy	Opener plus wicketkeeper = maximum involvement. Stumping and catching points add to batting returns.

Must-Have Players

• Harmanpreet Kaur — Bats through the innings and rarely gets out cheaply. Even on a slow day, Harmanpreet scores 25-30 runs, giving you a safe fantasy floor.
• Deepti Sharma — Bowls 4 overs at an economy of 6.2 and bats in the middle order. Guaranteed bowling points plus potential batting bonus.
• Hayley Matthews — Powerplay hitter and off-spin bowler. Opens the batting and bowls 2-3 overs, providing dual fantasy contributions.

Differential Picks

• Chamari Athapaththu — Sri Lanka's explosive opener bats at 2 for UPW and can demolish any bowling attack. She will be under-owned but has a ceiling of 80+ fantasy points if she fires.
• Amelia Kerr — New Zealand's leg-spinner bats at 6 for MI-W and takes wickets in the middle overs. Leg-spinners tend to do well at Ekana Stadium, making her an excellent differential.

Players to Avoid

• Pure tailenders from both sides are risky. In WPL T20s, number 10 and 11 batters rarely face enough deliveries to contribute meaningful fantasy points. Invest your budget in all-rounders who guarantee involvement.

For additional fantasy cricket insights, see our comprehensive Dream11 captain picks guide.

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Pitch Report and Weather

Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

The Ekana Stadium has become one of the more interesting venues in Indian cricket. It offers something for everyone — batting, bowling, and fielding all play a part in determining the outcome.

Surface Nature: The Ekana pitch is generally good for batting with true bounce and carry. It rewards batters who play through the line and can hit on the up. However, there is assistance for fast bowlers early on, particularly with the new ball. The pitch also offers some grip for spinners, especially as the match progresses.

Average First-Innings Score (WPL): WPL matches at Ekana have produced average first-innings scores of around 148-158 runs. The pitch is fair to both sides, meaning totals in the 155-165 range are competitive. Anything above 170 is an excellent score and puts enormous pressure on the chasing team.

Pace vs Spin: Fast bowlers enjoy the pitch early — there is bounce and carry, and the ball comes onto the bat nicely. However, as the surface wears, spinners come into play. Wrist spinners who can get over-spin and leg-spin to grip have been particularly effective at Ekana in WPL matches.

Boundary Dimensions: The straight boundaries at Ekana are long (around 75 meters), but the square boundaries are shorter (around 65 meters). This means batters who can hit through the off-side and pull through mid-wicket have an advantage, while bowlers need to avoid bowling in the slot on a length.

Weather Forecast

• Temperature: 26-28 degrees Celsius
• Humidity: 50-55%
• Rain Chance: Under 10% — mostly clear with some cloud
• Wind: Light breeze, negligible impact

Toss Factor: Evening matches at Ekana see moderate dew from the 15th over of the second innings onwards. This gives a slight advantage to the team batting second, as the wet ball becomes harder for bowlers to grip. Expect the toss-winning captain to choose to bowl first.

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Match Prediction

This match features a classic underdog-versus-champion narrative. Here is our detailed breakdown.

Why UPW could win:

• Home advantage at Ekana Stadium — Lucknow crowds are passionate and vocal
• Alyssa Healy in the powerplay can take the game away from MI-W before they settle
• Chamari Athapaththu's explosive hitting at the top can put immediate pressure on MI-W's bowlers
• Deepti Sharma's middle-overs bowling can contain MI-W's big hitters
• UPW have been improving every season and have genuine momentum heading into WPL 2026
• Tahlia McGrath's new-ball bowling could trouble MI-W's top order

Why MI-W could win:

• MI-W's 4-1 head-to-head record shows they consistently find ways to beat UPW
• Harmanpreet Kaur and Sciver-Brunt together form the most reliable 3-4 combination in the WPL
• MI-W's bowling depth — they have six genuine bowling options — allows Harmanpreet to always have a fresh bowler
• Championship experience matters, and MI-W have been in this position before
• Their batting goes deeper, meaning even if the top order fails, the middle and lower order can rescue the innings

Our Prediction: Mumbai Indians Women to win by 6 wickets

MI-W's superior depth and experience should see them through, even in Lucknow. We expect UPW to bat first and post a competitive 150-160, but MI-W's batting lineup has the quality to chase it down with overs to spare. The key battle will be Healy vs Issy Wong in the powerplay — if MI-W can contain Healy, they will strangle UPW's innings. In the chase, Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt will likely guide MI-W home.

Win Probability: MI-W 62% | UPW 38%

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FAQ

Who will win UPW vs MI-W WPL 2026 Match 3?

Mumbai Indians Women are favorites to win Match 3 of WPL 2026 against UP Warriorz. MI-W have won four of the five previous meetings between these teams and have the stronger squad on paper. However, UPW's home advantage at Ekana Stadium and Alyssa Healy's form make this fixture more competitive than the head-to-head record suggests.

Who should be captain in Dream11 for UPW vs MI-W?

Nat Sciver-Brunt is our top captain pick for this match. She bats at number 4 and bowls four overs of seam, providing guaranteed all-round fantasy points. Alyssa Healy is the best vice-captain choice — she opens the batting and keeps wicket, meaning she is involved in almost every ball of the match through one role or the other.

What is the average score at Ekana Stadium in WPL?

The average first-innings score at Ekana Stadium in WPL matches is approximately 148-158 runs. The pitch offers true bounce and carry, rewarding both batters and bowlers. Scores of 155-165 are competitive, and anything above 170 puts significant pressure on the chasing side, particularly if dew is not a major factor.

Can UP Warriorz beat Mumbai Indians Women?

Absolutely. While the head-to-head record favors MI-W (4-1), UPW's sole victory was convincing and showed their potential. Alyssa Healy's 78 off 42 balls in that match demonstrated what happens when UPW's top order fires. If Healy and Chamari Athapaththu both have strong powerplays, and Deepti Sharma bowls her economical middle-overs spell, UPW can certainly beat MI-W at home.

Will there be dew at Ekana Stadium for the evening match?

Moderate dew is expected from around the 15th over of the second innings at Ekana Stadium for this evening match. This favors the team batting second, as the wet ball is harder for bowlers to grip, leading to fewer variations and more scoring opportunities. The toss-winning captain will likely choose to bowl first to take advantage of dew in the second innings.

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Want more women's cricket coverage? Read our WPL 2025 season review and 2026 preview for the complete story of last season and what to expect this year. For detailed player profiles, explore our Alyssa Healy biography and Smriti Mandhana career stats.