With the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 all set to be played from January 9 to February 5, all five franchises have officially announced their captains ahead of the upcoming season. As the tournament enters its fourth edition, a majority of the teams have chosen stability in leadership. Three franchises have decided to continue with their existing captains, backing the leadership groups that guided them in the previous season.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Gujarat Giants (GG) will once again be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Gujarat Giants respectively. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals (DC) and UP Warriorz (UPW) have taken a different approach. The three-time finalists have handed over the captaincy to Jemimah Rodrigues, while UP Warriorz have brought back experienced Australian leader Meg Lanning to spearhead their campaign, marking a fresh chapter for both sides.
Delhi Capitals – Jemimah Rodrigues
Delhi Capitals have ushered in a new era ahead of the WPL 2026 season, appointing Jemimah Rodrigues as their captain. The 25-year-old steps into the leadership role on the back of a memorable 2025 ODI World Cup campaign with the Indian women’s team, where she played a pivotal role in India’s title triumph. Rodrigues was one of the standout performers of the tournament, famously anchoring India’s historic semi-final victory over Australia. She now takes charge of the Capitals following the departure of Meg Lanning, who has joined UP Warriorz after guiding DC to three consecutive WPL finals.
Already an established name in international cricket, Rodrigues brings both pedigree and promise to the role. Despite her young age, she has amassed 2479 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals, underlining her consistency and value in the shortest format. In the WPL, she has scored 507 runs, making her one of Delhi Capitals’ most reliable batters across seasons. While this will be her first stint as captain in a high-pressure franchise league like the WPL, Rodrigues is no stranger to leadership. She has previously captained India A and Mumbai at the age-group level in domestic tournaments, experiences that will aid her transition into the role.
Under Rodrigues’ leadership, Delhi Capitals will be aiming to build on their strong track record and finally go one step further after falling short in the finals in each of the last three seasons.
Gujarat Giants – Ashleigh Gardner
Gujarat Giants have opted for continuity ahead of the WPL 2026 season, retaining Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner as their captain. Gardner will continue in the role after being handed the leadership reins ahead of last season, replacing Beth Mooney at the top. Her debut year as skipper marked a turning point for the franchise, as she guided the Giants to their first-ever appearance in the WPL playoffs, signalling a clear upward trajectory for the team. A three-time ICC Women’s T20 World Cup winner, Gardner has been a cornerstone of the Giants since the tournament’s inception.
Her impact extends across disciplines, combining power-hitting in the middle order with timely breakthroughs with the ball. In the WPL, she has accumulated 567 runs, underlining her value as a consistent contributor with the bat. On the international stage, Gardner’s credentials remain equally impressive. She has scored 1411 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals (WT20Is) alongside her reputation as a reliable wicket-taking option. Her accolades include being named Player of the Tournament at the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup and winning two Women’s Big Bash League titles with the Sydney Sixers. Gardner also features prominently among the WPL’s elite, sitting inside the top 10 lists for both leading run-scorers and wicket-takers in the competition.
With Gardner continuing to lead from the front, Gujarat Giants will aim to build on last season’s momentum and make an even stronger push in the WPL 2026 campaign.
Mumbai Indians – Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur, the all-format captain of the Indian women’s team, will once again be at the helm of Mumbai Indians for the WPL 2026 season. One of the league’s most influential figures since its launch, Harmanpreet remains central to Mumbai’s identity and success. Under her leadership, Mumbai Indians lifted the WPL trophy in the inaugural 2023 season and repeated the feat in 2025, making her the most successful captain in the tournament’s short history.
Her leadership credentials were further reinforced last year when she became the first Indian captain to guide the national side to an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title. Beyond her tactical impact, Harmanpreet has been a consistent contributor with the bat. She has scored 3784 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals, while her WPL tally stands at 851 runs, placing her among Mumbai’s leading run-scorers and the top Indian batters in the league, second only to Shafali Verma.
With her experience, composure, and big-match temperament, Harmanpreet will once again be the driving force behind MI’s title ambitions in WPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Smriti Mandhana
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have opted for continuity in leadership, with Smriti Mandhana set to lead the side for a fourth consecutive WPL season. The left-hander previously guided RCB to their maiden WPL title in 2024, cementing her status as one of the league’s standout leaders. Mandhana enjoyed a standout 2025, finishing as India’s highest run-scorer in their victorious Women’s ODI World Cup campaign, where she amassed 434 runs.
Over the course of the year, she scored 1362 ODI runs in 23 matches, the most by any player in a calendar year in women’s ODIs, and became only the second Indian to cross the 5000-run mark in the format. Her excellence extended into T20 cricket as well. Mandhana has now accumulated 4102 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals, becoming just the second player to cross the 4000-run milestone. She is also a member of the elite 10,000-run club in women’s international cricket, alongside legends Mithali Raj, Suzie Bates, and Charlotte Edwards.
In the WPL, Mandhana has been a vital presence at the top of the order, scoring 646 runs so far. As one of the game’s biggest global stars, she will once again be pivotal to RCB’s fortunes with the bat in WPL 2026.
UP Warriorz – Meg Lanning
Australian great Meg Lanning, popularly known as ‘Megastar’, will lead UP Warriorz in the WPL 2026 season, bringing a wealth of leadership experience to the franchise after making the switch from Delhi Capitals ahead of the new campaign. One of the most decorated captains in the history of women’s cricket, Lanning takes over the role from Deepti Sharma, who captained UP Warriorz last season and followed it up with a Player of the Tournament performance at the World Cup. Lanning’s international achievements place her in a league of her own. She has been part of five ICC Women’s T20 World Cup victories and two ICC Women’s ODI World Cup titles with Australia, captaining the side in six of those championship wins. She also led Australia to a historic gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In the WPL, Lanning played a defining role in shaping Delhi Capitals during the league’s early years. Appointed captain from the inaugural 2023 season, she guided DC to three straight WPL finals. Individually, she claimed the Orange Cap in the first season and remains the third-highest run-scorer in WPL history, with 952 runs to her name. Her impact in the shortest format at the international level is equally significant, having scored 3405 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals (WT20Is), underlining her consistency and longevity at the top of the order.
After falling short of the title on three occasions with Delhi Capitals, Lanning will be hoping that a new challenge with UP Warriorz provides the fresh start needed to finally lift the WPL trophy.
