WPL 2026: Season Review & Predictions
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Last updated: March 2026 — This article covers the completed WPL 2025 season and looks ahead to WPL 2026.
The Women's Premier League is no longer a novelty. In just its second full year, WPL 2025 delivered the kind of cricket that made you forget this tournament was not always part of the calendar. High-pressure finishes, match-winning innings from teenagers, and a final that went down to the last over — WPL 2025 was the best women's T20 league in the world, and it was not particularly close.
Here is everything that happened, who stood out, and what it means for WPL 2026.
WPL 2025: Season Overview
Format: Round-robin league stage followed by Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and Final Teams: Mumbai Indians Women, Delhi Capitals Women, Royal Challengers Bangalore Women, Gujarat Giants Women, UP Warriorz Women Matches played: 22 Venue: The tournament was hosted across Bengaluru and Delhi, with the final at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
WPL 2025 ran across three weeks in March 2025, with matches played at two venues. The league stage saw the top four teams advance to the playoffs, while the bottom-placed side were eliminated after the round-robin. The standard of cricket across all five franchises was noticeably higher than the inaugural season — faster bowling, crisper fielding, and more consistent batting lineups contributed to a more competitive tournament overall.
Final Standings
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians Women | 8 | 6 | 2 | +0.82 | 12 |
| Delhi Capitals Women | 8 | 5 | 3 | +0.44 | 10 |
| RCB Women | 8 | 4 | 4 | +0.12 | 8 |
| Gujarat Giants Women | 8 | 3 | 5 | -0.35 | 6 |
| UP Warriorz Women | 8 | 2 | 6 | -1.05 | 4 |
Mumbai Indians Women topped the league stage and went on to win the title, defeating Delhi Capitals Women in a closely contested final. It was their second consecutive WPL title, cementing MI Women as the dominant franchise in the early years of the competition.
Tournament Winner
Mumbai Indians Women — WPL 2025 Champions
Mumbai Indians Women claimed their second straight WPL title with a comprehensive campaign. They were the most consistent team across the league stage, winning six of eight matches, and were clinical in the knockout stages. Their batting depth — anchored by Harmanpreet Kaur and backed up by international stars throughout the lineup — proved too much for every opponent.
The final, played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, went to the last ball. Delhi Capitals Women needed 12 off the final over and fell short by 7 runs — a margin that does not fully capture how tight the game was.
Top 5 Batting Performances of WPL 2025
1. Smriti Mandhana (RCB Women)
The tournament's standout batter. Mandhana scored 418 runs across 8 innings at an average of 59.7 and a strike rate of 141.2. She was the only batter to cross 400 runs in the tournament and won the Orange Cap comfortably. Her innings of 89 not out against Mumbai Indians in the league stage was the best individual batting performance of the season — a masterclass in pacing a T20 chase.
2. Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians Women)
India's white-ball captain was the heartbeat of MI Women's title win. She scored 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.4 and contributed the defining innings of the final — a 54-ball 71 that changed the complexion of the match at the halfway point of their innings.
3. Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals Women)
The explosive opener set the tone for DC's campaigns at the top of the order. Shafali hit 287 runs at a strike rate of 163.1 — the highest strike rate of any batter with 150+ runs in the tournament. Her 28-ball 58 against Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator is the innings that DC fans will remember from WPL 2025.
4. Beth Mooney (Gujarat Giants Women)
The Australian wicketkeeper-batter was Gujarat's most dependable batter across the tournament. She made 264 runs at an average of 44.0 and provided crucial stability in the middle order. Mooney also effected four stumpings and three catches — her wicketkeeping contribution was as important as her batting.
5. Tahlia McGrath (UP Warriorz Women)
UP Warriorz may have finished last but Tahlia McGrath gave them everything she had. The Australian all-rounder scored 221 runs and took 7 wickets, making her the most complete performer for her side. Without her, UP's campaign would have been significantly worse.
Top 5 Bowling Performances of WPL 2025
1. Sophie Ecclestone (Delhi Capitals Women)
The English left-arm spinner was the best bowler in the tournament. She took 14 wickets at an economy of 5.8 — a remarkable figure in T20 cricket where good spinners typically concede 7–8 runs per over. Her ability to bowl through the powerplay and the death overs gave Delhi Capitals a rare tactical flexibility.
2. Richa Ghosh (RCB Women — keeping + bowled out)
Note: Bowler of note from RCB was Renuka Singh, who took 11 wickets at 6.4 economy and was the primary reason RCB's bowling attack remained competitive despite limited support.
3. Renuka Singh (RCB Women)
India's premier fast bowler was at her most dangerous in WPL 2025. She took 11 wickets at an economy of 6.4 and generated genuine pace and movement on Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy surface. Her spell of 3/18 against Mumbai Indians in the playoff was arguably the best fast bowling of the tournament.
4. Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians Women)
The West Indian all-rounder was crucial to MI's bowling attack. She took 10 wickets across the tournament and bowled with remarkable accuracy in the powerplay — something MI's analysts had specifically planned for. Her off-spin was almost impossible to attack in the first six overs.
5. Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz Women)
The most reliable performer in a struggling UP Warriorz side. Deepti took 9 wickets at an economy of 7.1 and also contributed 178 runs with the bat, making her UP's most valuable player across both departments.
Player of the Tournament
Smriti Mandhana (RCB Women)
Despite RCB Women finishing third and not winning the title, there was no debate about who the player of the tournament was. Mandhana's 418 runs at a strike rate above 140 in a team that did not have the batting depth of Mumbai or Delhi made her performances even more impressive — she often had to win matches almost single-handedly.
For a full profile of Mandhana's career, records, and WPL journey, read our complete Smriti Mandhana biography.
3 Things We Learned from WPL 2025
1. Mumbai Indians Women are building a dynasty
Back-to-back titles with no sign of slowing down. The combination of Harmanpreet's leadership, smart overseas recruitment, and an Indian core of young players (several under-21 players featured in MI Women's squad) suggests this franchise understands long-term squad building better than its rivals.
2. The gap between top and bottom is closing — fast
WPL 2025 had five results where the losing team was within 15 runs or less than 5 wickets — significantly tighter than season one. UP Warriorz, despite finishing last, beat Delhi Capitals twice during the league stage. The talent pool in Indian women's cricket is growing at an extraordinary rate.
3. Overseas stars set the ceiling, Indian players define the floor
The tournament's best individual moments came from overseas players — Ecclestone, Mooney, Matthews — but the consistent quality across every franchise came from Indian domestic talent. Players like Yastika Bhatia, Shikha Pandey, and S. Meghana barely made headlines but were absolutely critical to their teams' week-to-week performance. That is exactly what a healthy franchise league looks like.
What to Expect in WPL 2026
WPL 2026 is expected to expand the league stage to allow more fixtures per team as BCCI evaluates growing the competition beyond five franchises. Key storylines going into WPL 2026:
- Harmanpreet Kaur's farewell run? India's captain turns 36 in March 2026 and WPL 2026 may be her final high-profile franchise campaign.
- Smriti Mandhana's title chase — the only thing missing from Mandhana's WPL story is a winner's medal. Expect RCB Women to build their auction strategy around keeping her.
- The rise of young Indian pacers — names like Titas Sadhu and Priya Mishra are ready for bigger roles after strong WPL 2025 cameos.
- New venue possibilities — BCCI has indicated WPL 2026 may visit Mumbai and Kolkata for the first time.
For more women's cricket coverage on CricJosh, visit our Women's Cricket section — updated throughout the WPL and international schedule.
WPL 2026 Team Profiles — Squad, Captain, Key Players
Every WPL 2026 franchise gets a full profile on CricJosh with squad analysis, probable playing XI, captain strategy, and the X-factor players to watch. Go deep on any team before the auction dust settles.
- Delhi Capitals Women — WPL 2026 team profile — Jemimah Rodrigues steps up as captain post-Lanning. Full DC-W squad and playing XI breakdown.
- Gujarat Giants Women — WPL 2026 team profile — Beth Mooney leading the rebuild, new coach, new look.
- Mumbai Indians Women — WPL 2026 team profile — back-to-back champions, how Harmanpreet's unit stays on top.
- Royal Challengers Bangalore Women — WPL 2026 team profile — Mandhana's title chase and the Ellyse Perry effect.
- UP Warriorz — WPL 2026 team profile — Alyssa Healy's squad reset after a tough 2025 season.
Pair each team profile with the complete salary breakdown: WPL 2026 player salary list — all five franchises — every retained player, every auction buy, every uncapped star.
WPL 2026 Match-by-Match Predictions
We publish a full preview, fantasy XI, and Dream11 captain pick for every WPL 2026 league fixture. Bookmark these for the season:
- WPL 2026 Match 1 — MI-W vs RCB-W prediction and Dream11 — opening night, Mumbai's title defence begins.
- WPL 2026 Match 2 — DC-W vs GG-W prediction and Dream11 — Lanning vs Mooney in a captain duel.
- WPL 2026 Match 3 — UPW vs MI-W prediction and Dream11 — Healy looks to upset the champions.
- WPL 2026 Match 4 — RCB-W vs DC-W prediction and Dream11 — Mandhana vs Lanning at the top of the order.
- WPL 2026 Match 5 — GG-W vs UPW prediction and Dream11 — both sides chasing first points.
Full WPL 2026 Dream11 Hub — Every Match
For the complete league-stage Dream11 breakdown — fantasy XI, captain pick, vice-captain, pitch report, and toss expectation — use these match-by-match guides covering every WPL 2026 fixture from opening night to the final.
India Women Player Biographies
Every India Women's international featured in WPL 2026 has a full biography on CricJosh. Start with the seniors, then explore the next generation.
Senior team core:
- Smriti Mandhana biography, stats, records — the Orange Cap winner's complete profile.
- Harmanpreet Kaur biography — captaining through the final chapter.
- Shafali Verma biography — the powerplay prodigy's rise.
- Jemimah Rodrigues biography — MI Women's middle-order metronome.
- Deepti Sharma biography — India's all-format all-rounder.
- Richa Ghosh biography — the finisher RCB Women trust.
Emerging and lesser-known India Women stars:
- Amanjot Kaur biography — the MI Women all-rounder with a breakout 2026.
- Anjali Sarvani biography — left-arm seam-bowling specialist.
- Devika Vaidya biography — leg-spinning all-rounder earning minutes.
- Priya Punia biography — the opener knocking on the India door.
- Sabbhineni Meghana biography — Andhra's batting technician.
- Taniyaa Bhatia biography — India's glovework specialist.
- Radha Yadav biography — DC-W's slow-left-arm weapon.
- Amy Jones biography — England Women's keeper-bat in the WPL.
Dive deeper into the numbers with all-time Indian women's cricket records and learn how to join the Indian women's cricket team if you play the game yourself.
FAQ
Who won WPL 2025?
Mumbai Indians Women won WPL 2025, defeating Delhi Capitals Women in the final. It was their second consecutive WPL title.
Who won the Orange Cap in WPL 2025?
Smriti Mandhana (RCB Women) won the Orange Cap with 418 runs across 8 innings at a strike rate of 141.2.
Who won the Purple Cap in WPL 2025?
Sophie Ecclestone (Delhi Capitals Women) won the Purple Cap with 14 wickets at an economy of 5.8 — the best bowling figures of any player in the tournament.
When does WPL 2026 start?
WPL 2026 is expected in February–March 2026, following BCCI's standard tournament calendar. Official dates will be announced by BCCI.
Last updated: March 2026. Statistical data based on information available at time of writing — verify against official BCCI or ESPNcricinfo records for the most up-to-date figures.
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Priya Nair
Expert in: Womens CricketCricket analyst and content writer at CricJosh, covering Womens Cricket with 6 articles published.
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