Even in a one-sided contest against Mumbai Indians, UP Warriorz had their moments of promise. One of them came at the end of the 12th over when they still had a grip on the game. However, familiar struggles—middle-order collapses and delayed acceleration—resurfaced to haunt them once again.
🔥 Bright Start, Fading Promise
UP Warriorz made a bold move by promoting Grace Harris to open, and it seemed to pay off initially. Harris tore into Shabnim Ismail and Hayley Matthews, smashing boundaries and sixes to push UPW to 48/1 in just four overs. She formed a crucial 79-run stand with Vrinda Dinesh, but her dismissal in the 10th over triggered a downfall.
Once again, the middle overs proved to be Warriorz’s Achilles’ heel. In just five matches this season, they have lost a staggering 24 wickets in the middle phase. This time, Sanskriti Gupta reaped the rewards, dismissing Vrinda and Tahlia McGrath in quick succession. Deepti Sharma followed soon after, leaving UPW reeling at 93/5. The early momentum was lost, and the finishing kick never arrived.
🏏 Holding Back the Firepower
UP Warriorz had a chance to counterattack in the final overs, with big-hitting Chinelle Henry waiting in the wings. Yet, surprisingly, she was held back once again. Instead, UPW sent in Uma Chetry, who struggled to score, soaking up deliveries when Henry could have made an impact.
By the time Henry walked in with 32 balls left, she was left with too little time and too much to do. The strategy backfired, as she was forced to take risks early, ultimately mistiming a shot to deep mid-wicket.
Unlike other teams that give their power-hitters more deliveries, UP Warriorz have consistently underutilized players like Harris and Henry. Their reluctance to trust attacking batters earlier in the innings has cost them dearly..
Athapaththu to depart early from WPL to join Sri Lanka’s squad
🤔 Tactical Missteps & Underperforming Players
While Henry’s delayed entry was a major talking point, it wasn’t the only issue. The lack of Indian batting support in the middle order and overseas players failing to step up have created a crisis. Tahlia McGrath, expected to be the backbone of the team, has been struggling with single-digit scores. Despite Chamari Athapaththu waiting on the bench, UPW has stuck with McGrath—perhaps trusting their process for too long.
With just two wins in five games, UP Warriorz now stand at a crossroads. They must choose between trusting their core players or making drastic changes before it’s too late.
🚨 Will they find the right balance in time? Or will another season slip away due to tactical errors?
