She made 64 not out to help UP Warriorz grab two points.
Playing against a top side like the Mumbai Indians, Harleen Deol forged a comeback of the ages. After being retired out last night in the UPW vs DC clash for a slow innings, the batter struck a half-century tonight to help UP Warriorz register their first win of WPL 2026.
UP Warriorz won their first match of the ongoing Women’s Premier League on January 15, 2026, after beating the defending champions by seven wickets and 11 balls to spare. Harleen Deol won the Player of the Match award for her unbeaten 64 off 39.
“Actually, yesterday too I was batting well. As you saw today, how Chloe can change the scenario. I just took it that way. She’s someone who can hit big, but that didn’t go our way. That’s how I look at it. Nothing different today. I just got a few boundary balls,” Deol said while collecting the award.
To put things in context, let’s recall what happened in UPW’s last night’s clash against the Delhi Capitals. Batting first, UP Warriorz lost Kiran Navgire in the first over and Phoebe Litchfield in the seventh over. Captain Meg Lanning’s 54 also came to an end in the 16th over. Harleen Deol was batting at 47 when, at the end of 17 overs, she was called back to the dugout by head coach Abhishek Nayar. Chloe Tryon replaced Deol, who could add only one run to the team’s total, and was dismissed in three deliveries.
UP Warriorz put up a sub-par 154/8, but took it down to the wire against Delhi Capitals. Had Deol stayed longer on the crease, she could’ve added 10-15 runs more, making DC’s win a tad bit difficult.
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The 27-year-old kept her cool and gave a breezy response instead. She stated how, in the past 24 hours, she didn’t let things stress her out. Earlier, Meg Lanning also mentioned that she’s a quality player, and one quick chat was enough for Deol.
“Normal prep for me. I was batting well yesterday also, no point in keeping stressing on that thing (retired out). The first two games didn’t go my way. I was overhitting earlier. This wasn’t the wicket to do that. In the first innings, the wicket was tough to score on. Then it got better, so we were just looking to hit, and balls were coming onto the bat,” Harleen Deol added after tonight’s MI vs UPW clash.
While it may be a tough night for spectators, the talented middle-order batter took a logical approach rather than an emotional one. She took it as a learning experience instead of a setback and identified her mistake. Next, she showcased a better version of herself and surprised everyone with the first opportunity she had.
With their first win of the season, UP Warriorz still sit at the bottom of the points table. While this win will strengthen UP Warriorz qualification scenarios for the WPL 2026 playoffs, the side still needs a Harleen-esque comeback to stay in contention.
Their next match is against the same opponent on January 17.
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