Navi Mumbai, Jan 5
UP Warriorz marked the announcement of Meg Lanning as captain of the franchise with a special celebration in Navi Mumbai on Monday as groups of young fans and cricketers under the age of 12 came together to surprise the newly-appointed leader.
The event saw girls welcoming Lanning with music and song, performing a thoughtfully curated mix of popular Hollywood numbers and cultural melodies dedicated to the Australian great.
During the interaction, Lanning answered several questions from the girls and revealed that dosa is one of her favourite Indian dishes and Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were her cricketing idols growing up.
The girls also surprised Lanning with heartfelt messages on a board as they wished her and the team luck ahead of the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) season.
Lanning interacted warmly with the young fans, signing autographs, posing for group photographs, and spending time engaging with the children, making the occasion a memorable one for everyone present. The event reinforced UP Warriorz' commitment to inspiring young talent both on and off the field.
The celebration captured the growing fandom for women's cricket and how UP Warriorz are driving aspirations for girls as the franchise looks ahead to an exciting new chapter under Meg Lanning's leadership in the fourth season of the Women's Premier League.
Earlier in the day, UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar said his side has the potential to make a strong impact in the 2026 WPL if the squad can gel quickly and perform together as a cohesive unit.
At the mega auction last year, UPW assembled a group of experienced and young players to win their maiden title under Meg Lanning's leadership. "My message is very simple. This sport is about the players, not the coach. The type of cricket you are playing, just play that type of cricket.
"It is important that you play as a team. If this team can play together, it will be very good. The vision is clear. We will try to play good cricket. Whenever you enter a tournament, the mindset is always to win it. We will keep an eye on every player's form and try to perform well," Nayar told IANS on the sidelines of the pre-season press conference on Monday.
WPL has been fruitful in unearthing gems who have gone on to enter the Indian team, and Nayar promised the same pattern will continue in the upcoming season set to happen from January 9 to February 5.
"The format and the speciality of this tournament is that they are continuously giving good players to India and the Indian team. This time, we will try to get a new star from this tournament."
- IANS
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