as Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 The 20th match climaxed with a high-stakes clash between the two sides at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara Delhi Capital (DC) and UP Warrior(UPW) February 1 this year. As the playoffs approach, every tactical shift is closely watched. However, before the first ball was bowled, the biggest talking point was the complete reshuffling of the UP Warriorz lineup, as the three pillars, Amy Jones, Chloe Tryon and Shweta Sehrawat Conspicuously absent from the lineup.

Why are Amy Jones, Chloe Tryon and Shweta Sehrawat missing the most important WPL matches?

The exclusion of Jones, Tryon and Seravat was not due to injuries but a strategic “all or nothing” gamble by the UP Warriorz management. Captain speaks at toss Meg Lanning provided clear instructions, noting that while the team was still competitive, they chose to inject “fresh energy“Coming into a team that’s been struggling to be consistent.

The Warriors choose to bring in Shipra Geary, Deandra Dodin and Charlie Knott to replace the trio. For Jones and Tryon, the decision appears to be a performance-based rotation. Despite their international pedigree, neither man has been able to provide the explosive finishing that the Warriors sorely needed in their recent defeat. By bringing in veteran Deandra Dottin, known for her “see the ball, hit the ball” philosophy, UPW relied on raw power to overhaul their flagging net run rate (NRR).

Seravat’s absence is also tactical. The youngster has struggled to find his rhythm and Geary’s promotion to designated wicketkeeper-batsman could allow the team to balance their overseas positions more effectively. As Lanning explained during the toss, “We want to provide opportunities for people to learn about what they have.In this desperate season, the Warriors decided they no longer wanted to stick to the status quo.

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thoriumKnockout battle between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals

The WPL 2026 table is currently a mathematical puzzle. although Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Already reached the finals and Gujarat Giants(GG) Having already secured a spot in the knockout rounds, the third and final playoff spot will be a three-way tug-of-war between Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians(MI)and UP Warriorz.

• Delhi capital: Their path is the most direct. if RodrogThe team’s win tonight takes them to 8 points, surpassing Mumbai Indians and taking third place. For them, it’s a “win-win” situation. However, a defeat would leave them with 6 points and a negative NRR, likely to lose the spot to Mumbai.
• UP warrior: The Warriors currently sit at the bottom of the standings with 4 points and an NRR of -1.146. To qualify, they need not just a win but a game. They need a miracle. They have to beat Delhi by about 117 runs (assuming a first innings score of 160) to take their NRR ahead of DC and MI.
• Mumbai Indians: The defending champions are the silent observer tonight. They have six points, a positive NRR (+0.146), and they need the Warriors to win, but only by a slim margin. If UPW wins by a narrow margin, both DC and UPW will have a lower NRR ranking than Mumbai, allowing the champions to make it to the playoffs.

Starting lineups of both teams

UP warrior woman: Meg Lanning (c) (c) (c) (c) and Harleen Deol, Deepti SharmaShipra Giri (wk), Deandra Dottin, Charlie Knott, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana Joy, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud

Delhi Capitals Women’s Football Team: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma

Also read: WPL 2026: Gujarat Giants end losing streak against MI to seal playoff berth, fans react after Harmanpreet Kaur’s brave batting goes in vain

This article was first published in women’s cricket websiteone cricket era company.