Women's Cricket
UP Warriorz become third WPL team to unveil coaching staff
UP Warriorz have named Jon Lewis as the Head Coach and former India captain Anju Jain as their Assistant Coach
Lisa Sthalekar will be the UP Warriorz team mentor
UP Warriorz have been unveiled as the Lucknow-based team in the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL). They are the third team in the WPL to release their team name and coaching staff after the Gujarat and Mumbai franchises. Two franchises - Bangalore and Delhi - are yet to release their personnel details.
One of the five teams involved in the much-awaited 2023 Women's Premier League, the UP Warriorz became a reality the moment Capri Global Holdings Private Limited won the bid for the Lucknow based franchise at INR 757 Crores at an Auction hosted by the BCCI.
The Warriorz have zeroed in on their think tank too, with former England cricketer Jon Lewis appointed as the Head Coach of the team, while Arjuna Awardee (2005) Anju Jain will be the Assistant Coach. Former Australian cricketer Ashley Noffke is the Bowling Coach. Meanwhile, playing the mentor's role for the UP Warriorz will be the 4-time World Champion with Australia Lisa Sthalekar.
Lewis, the current Head Coach of the England Women's Cricket Team, is vastly experienced and has bagged more than 1200 wickets in over 500 games, internationally and domestically. Well known in the English county circuit, Lewis was the bowling coach for the England Men's Team in 2021, and worked with an elite group of bowlers in Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes during his stint with the national team.
Former Australian cricketer Ashley Noffke is the Bowling Coach
Anju, who holds the distinction of being the first Indian Women cricketer to represent the country in four ODI World Cups, was the coach for the Tornadoes, who won their first title in the 2022 edition of the FairBreak Invitational T20. The former wicketkeeper batter has also been the head coach for the Bangladesh Women's cricket team in a coaching career that has spanned over 12 years.
The Women's Premier League is set to be played in Mumbai from 4th – 26th March, 2023. A total of 22 matches will be played with the Brabourne Stadium & DY Patil Stadium playing hosts to the marquee tournament. The Player Auction for the WPL will be held in Mumbai on 13th February.
