The Women’s Premier League 2026 started on January 9 and wraps up on February 5. It’s the fourth season of India’s top women’s T20 cricket league, and five captains are at the center of it all. Three teams, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Gujarat Giants, didn’t mess with a good thing. They stuck with the same leaders from last year.
On the other hand, Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz decided to shake things up. Jemimah Rodrigues is now calling the shots for DC, while Meg Lanning steps in as captain for UP Warriorz. Matches are being held in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, with each team playing the others twice in the league stage. Here’s everything you need to know about the WPL 2026 captains.
WPL 2026 Captains List
| Team | Captain | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians | Harmanpreet Kaur | India |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Smriti Mandhana | India |
| Gujarat Giants | Ashleigh Gardner | Australia |
| Delhi Capitals | Jemimah Rodrigues | India |
| UP Warriorz | Meg Lanning | Australia |
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur is back at the helm for Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026, her fourth season in a row as captain. She also leads the Indian women’s cricket team in every format, and honestly, her record speaks for itself. She took MI to the very first WPL title in 2023, did it again in 2025, and now stands as the most successful captain in WPL history with two championships.
In 2025, Harmanpreet did something nobody in India had managed before: she led the national team to their first ICC Women’s ODI World Cup win. That moment pretty much stamped her reputation as a top-tier leader and strategist.
MI snapped her up for Rs 1.8 crore in the very first WPL auction and wasted no time handing her the captaincy. Since then, she’s piled up more than 1,000 runs in the league, the first Indian to ever do it. Across 27 WPL matches, she’s scored 851 runs at an average of 40.52. Her aggressive batting and ice-cool leadership make MI the team everyone wants to beat. Add in her record 10 half-centuries, and you see why she’s in a league of her own.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana isn’t going anywhere; she’s still leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru into her fourth season as captain. RCB snapped her up for Rs 3.4 crore in the first-ever WPL auction, and no one’s topped that price tag since. She’s still the most expensive player in WPL history.
In 2024, Mandhana steered RCB to their first WPL title. She scored 300 runs in 10 matches that season, leading the team with real confidence. Watching her bat is something else. She’s left-handed, her shots are just so smooth, and the way she picks her gaps, honestly, it’s a treat.
She was there when India pulled off that unforgettable win at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. With more than 10,000 runs and 17 centuries in international cricket, Mandhana sits at the top, sharing the record for most international hundreds with Meg Lanning. With all that experience and skill, she keeps RCB in the title race every single year.
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner
Ashleigh Gardner is sticking around as captain of the Gujarat Giants for WPL 2026. She took over from Beth Mooney before the 2025 season, and honestly, things really turned around under her leadership. Gardner steered the Giants to their first WPL playoff spot, a huge moment for the team.
Back in the first WPL auction, GG snapped her up for Rs 3.2 crore. That’s still tied for the second-highest price in league history. Gardner’s got a pedigree too: three ICC Women’s T20 World Cup titles with Australia, and she grabbed Player of the Tournament honors in 2023.
Her WPL numbers are solid: 25 wickets and a batting strike rate over 141 after 25 matches. In 2025 alone, she piled up 243 runs, including a top score of 79, and she hammered along at a strike rate of 164.18. She does it all. Gardner’s all-round game makes her one of the most valuable players out there, and she’s leading the charge with both bat and ball.
Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues
Jemimah Rodrigues is stepping up as the new Delhi Capitals captain for WPL 2026, taking over from Meg Lanning, who led the team to three straight finals. At just 25, Jemimah’s now the youngest captain in WPL history.
Delhi Capitals went after her right from the first WPL auction in 2023, and before this season, they ensured she was their top retention at Rs 2.2 crore. She’s coming off a massive high; her unbeaten 127 against Australia in the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup semi-final helped India pull off a record chase and eventually lift the trophy.
For DC, Jemimah’s played 27 WPL games, racking up 507 runs with a strike rate of nearly 140. She’s been there for all three finals. People notice her energy and drive—she’s just got that spark on the field. Now, DC is counting on her to finally get them over the line and bring home their first WPL title.
UP Warriorz: Meg Lanning
Meg Lanning, the former Australia captain, now leads UP Warriorz in WPL 2026. She’s made the switch from Delhi Capitals, where she took them to three straight finals. Warriorz picked her up for Rs 1.9 crore at the big auction.
Lanning’s track record speaks for itself. She’s one of the most successful skippers in women’s cricket, guiding Australia to five T20 World Cup titles and two ODI World Cups. Of those, she captained six trophy-winning teams. Oh, and she also brought home gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In the WPL, Lanning has piled up 952 runs in 27 matches, making her the league’s third-highest run-scorer ever. What really sets her apart is the way she leads; she’s got experience, keeps things clear, and never seems rattled.
Last season, Warriorz finished fifth, only managing three wins. They’re banking on Lanning’s leadership to help them turn things around this time.
Conclusion: MI, RCB, And GG Keep Their Captains
The WPL 2026 season shakes things up with a real mix of old hands and new faces at the helm. Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Gujarat Giants stick with their captains; they trust what works. But Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz have switched things up, rolling the dice with fresh leaders.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana show up as World Cup champs, confidence sky-high. Jemimah Rodrigues, after lighting up the World Cup, brings a spark to Delhi Capitals. Then there’s Meg Lanning, who’s now with UP Warriorz, and honestly, that move alone adds a whole new layer of drama. Ashleigh Gardner isn’t messing around either. She’s got her eyes set on delivering Gujarat Giants their first WPL trophy.
So, you’ve got the steady hands and the bold new approaches clashing all season. Every captain brings something different. The action kicks off January 9 and wraps up February 5, with matches split between Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. Should be a wild ride.
