WPL 2025: Captains share plans ahead of season opener on February 14

The 22 matches scheduled for WPL 2025, including the eliminator and final, will be hosted across four venues in a 30-day period

The third season of the Women’s Premier League is set to commence on Friday, February 14, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Gujarat Giants in the tournament opener at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. However, a day before the official start, captains of all five teams—Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals), Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians), Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz), and Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants)—addressed the media through a press conference hosted by the tournament’s official broadcaster, Star Sports, where they shared their plans and expectations for the upcoming season.

 

Meg Lanning on DC breaking the finals jinx 

 

Skipper of Delhi Capitals, Meg Lanning, who finished as runners-up in both previous seasons, said that the team did almost everything right and was one of the dominant sides in the league. She does not believe much change is required in their approach. She said that at the end of the day, it's all about absorbing the pressure of high-stakes matches, and that is the only aspect DC would like to improve this season.

 

Harmanpreet Kaur on WPL’s budding young talents 

The skipper of inaugural champions Mumbai Indians, Harmanpreet Kaur, highlighted how the WPL has helped young Indian players showcase their talent and earn national call-ups over the past two seasons. She believes that domestic-level players are now focusing on improving their strike rates to be able to play in the WPL, which has resulted in 300-plus scores at the domestic level. Harmanpreet also said that, while she will not take names, she is confident a few more young players will leave their mark on the big stage after this season. 

 

Smriti on title defence and injury concerns 

The skipper of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Smriti Mandhana, addressed the loss of key players like Sophie Devine due to injury. Smriti said that the injuries are a little concerning, but the team must make the best of the squad they have and will aim to defend the title this season. She also spoke about the experience of playing in front of the Chinnaswamy crowd, saying that RCB’s fan base is very emotional, and with them, both criticism and love come in a bigger package. However, she added that this motivates the team to give their best—not just for themselves but also for the fans who are heavily invested in them.

 

Deepti on attaining the captaincy role 

Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who was named captain of UP Warriorz ahead of the season after their regular skipper Alyssa Healy was ruled out, said that it is a big responsibility to fill, but since she has already captained her state team, she will try her best to deliver better results. Deepti also mentioned that she loves new challenges and is hopeful of making the best of the opportunity.

 

Gardner on Gujarat’s chances in WPL 2025 

After finishing at the bottom of the points table in both previous seasons, Gujarat Giants decided to make a leadership change, naming Ashleigh Gardner as the new skipper in place of Beth Mooney. Gardner said that the team is not thinking about the past and is focused on performing better this season. She believes the side is much stronger this time, with more international depth and exciting young talent. She also said that the team is not thinking about the final at the moment, as their first priority is to achieve better results than in the first two seasons of the WPL.