UP Warriorz have named Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach for the upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). He takes over from Jon Lewis, who served in the role for the past three seasons before parting ways with the franchise.
This marks Nayar’s first official coaching role in the WPL, though he previously worked with the Warriorz during a short training camp in Bengaluru in August 2023.
Since retiring from professional cricket in 2019, Nayar has carved a niche for himself as a respected coach. His journey began with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) academy in 2018, eventually earning a place on the franchise’s senior coaching staff. Most recently, Nayar was a key figure in KKR’s triumphant IPL 2024 campaign, working alongside Gautam Gambhir, Chandrakant Pandit, and Bharat Arun.
Nayar excited to work again with the Warriorz
“I really enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before and I’m thrilled to take on this new role,” Nayar said. “WPL is a fantastic platform for women’s cricket and I’m looking forward to working closely with the management to build a strong team for Season 4. UP Warriorz already have a strong foundation in place, and I believe we can build something truly special. There is incredible potential and I will give it my all to help win their first-ever title this season.”
In addition to his IPL success, Nayar also served as head coach of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the 2022 Caribbean Premier League and was appointed as an assistant coach for Team India after the IPL 2024 season. He was part of India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign before returning to KKR mid-season for the IPL 2025.
Welcoming Nayar’s appointment, UPW COO and Director of Cricket Kshemal Waingankar said (as quoted by ESPNCricinf0): “Bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as head coach feels like a natural and exciting step forward for UP Warriorz. Few in Indian cricket possess his combination of experience, vision, and player development expertise. Over the past 18 months, he’s contributed to three title-winning sides in three different roles—each leaving a meaningful impact. We’re confident that under his leadership, this team can achieve something extraordinary.”
UP Warriorz made the playoffs in the inaugural WPL season in 2023, but have since struggled to maintain consistency—finishing fourth and fifth in the following seasons. With Nayar at the helm, the franchise will be aiming to turn its fortunes around and contend for the title.
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