Deepti Sharma captained the UP Warriorz in her maiden season as skipper in 2025. She took over the baton from Australian star Alyssa Healy. Deepti has opened up on her experience of leading a franchise in WPL.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma ‘enjoyed the opportunity’ to lead the UP Warriorz franchise for her maiden season as captain and looked at it through a positive lens.
“I have enjoyed this opportunity given by the franchise to lead the side. It is a different challenge to playing as just a player. You have to be alert on the ground and think a lot about whom to give the ball to, set the fields, etc. I learnt all these during the WPL, and there is obviously room for improvement. There is a good influx of talent in our group, and that’s pleasing to see,” Deepti said in the post-match press conference after UPW’s nail-biting win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“I love challenges. Not every day is the same for any player or captain. Whichever match I play, I try to learn whether I win or lose. I don’t think there was any extra pressure because I have always enjoyed challenges. I have learnt a lot, and next season, there will be a lot more improvement,” she added.
UP Warriorz’s win over RCB ended the title defence of the Smriti Mandhana-led side after they failed to chase a record total of 226, falling 12 runs short of it. Richa Ghosh’s valiant effort and Sneh Rana’s late assault nearly pulled off a miraculous chase before the Warriorz stunned them and shot them out for 213.
Deepti said that her team wanted to end the campaign on a high note. “We wanted to end the tournament on a positive note. It was good to see a nice crowd in. There was a lot of noise, and often, we couldn’t hear each other properly on the ground. It was good to see them come out in numbers. We know we didn’t start well in the tournament, but we were keen to end it on a positive note,” she said after the match.
UP were restricted to only 150/9 in their last match against Mumbai Indians but turned the tide in this game against RCB. On what changed in between them, Deepti said, “When the team wins, everything looks bright, but when the team is losing, a lot of things look wrong. We clicked well as a team today, with everyone stepping up. That didn’t quite happen in our previous game, although we had the same team. Our middle order didn’t quite click this season, but today, we did well, and batters took responsibility.”
Richa was taking it away from UP with a blistering knock. She made a fiery 69 from 33 balls and kept the team alive. Deepti knows her well since they have played together a lot.
“I have played a lot with her (Richa) from the Bengal days and now with India. So, I’m aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and she also knows the same. I just backed my strength, and I knew that if I bowl to the field, there would be a big chance of getting her wicket,” she said.
