Mumbai Indians have turned the page ahead of the 2027 Women’s Premier League season, replacing Lisa Keightley with Luke Williams as head coach in a move that brings a proven franchise winner back into the WPL setup.
The appointment comes at a significant point for Mumbai Indians. The franchise has already established itself as one of the competition’s most successful sides, lifting the WPL trophy in 2023 and 2025 under Harmanpreet Kaur. But after a campaign in which the team finished second from bottom with three wins from eight matches, the decision to make a coaching change signals a fresh push to restore the side to the top of the table.
Williams, a former first-class cricketer from South Australia, arrives with a résumé built around success in women’s franchise cricket. His most significant WPL achievement came in 2024, when he guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden WPL title.
He also enjoyed back-to-back Women’s Big Bash League triumphs with Adelaide Strikers in 2022 and 2023, while contributing to The Hundred as an assistant coach in 2023. That record gives Mumbai Indians a coach who already understands the demands of short-format women’s franchise cricket, including the compressed nature of the WPL season and the importance of managing an international dressing room.
Mrs. Nita M. Ambani, said, “We are delighted to welcome Luke Williams to the Mumbai Indians family. Luke is a proven winner and brings with him rich experience, a deep understanding of the women’s game, and a strong commitment to developing players.
“Our girls have created a proud legacy in the WPL, and I am confident that, with Luke’s guidance and Harman’s leadership, they will continue to grow, achieve greater success, and inspire young girls everywhere to dream big. I wish Luke, and the entire team the very best as we begin this exciting new chapter together. I would also like to thank Lisa Keightley for her contribution to Mumbai Indians and wish her the very best for the future.”
For Williams, the move represents another major assignment in a coaching career that has stretched across Australia, England and India. He has also been part of the England women’s setup as an assistant coach since 2025, adding international experience to his franchise coaching background. Mumbai Indians said he has spent two decades coaching across the three countries and is also a three-time Bradman Medal recipient in grade cricket.
The new head coach acknowledged the scale of the opportunity as he prepares to work alongside Harmanpreet Kaur and Mumbai’s established support staff. Mr. Luke Williams, Head Coach, said, “I’m really excited to be joining Mumbai Indians, a respected and successful organisation, and working with this talented group of players and support staff. We have a great opportunity to build something together, play an exciting brand of cricket and compete for success. I’m looking forward to the challenge and to giving our fans plenty to be proud of.”
Williams will inherit a squad with considerable experience and a history of performing on the biggest WPL stage. Harmanpreet led Mumbai to the inaugural WPL championship in 2023 before the franchise added a second title in 2025. In the 2025 final against Delhi Capitals, Harmanpreet produced a match-winning 66, while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr were among the leading performers across the campaign. The coaching change also comes with the 2027 auction already on the horizon.
Mumbai Indians have announced October 28 as the WPL 2027 auction date, meaning Williams will have limited time to assess the existing squad and identify the areas that need strengthening before the next season begins.
For Mumbai Indians, this appointment is less about rebuilding from scratch and more about recalibrating a team that already knows how to win. Williams brings something particularly relevant to the franchise: he has won the WPL before, but with another team. His challenge now is different. At Mumbai, he inherits a championship-winning captain in Harmanpreet, an established core and a franchise accustomed to competing for trophies.
The key question heading into WPL 2027 will therefore not simply be whether Williams can win another title. It will be how quickly he can impose his methods on a side with an established identity, identify the gaps exposed by the previous campaign and convert Mumbai Indians’ considerable experience into consistent performances.
With the WPL continuing to expand its competitive depth, Mumbai’s latest move puts a familiar name from the women’s franchise cricket circuit at the centre of its next chapter. For Williams, it is an opportunity to build on his previous WPL success. For Mumbai Indians, it is the beginning of another attempt to turn championship pedigree into another trophy run.
