UP Warriorz (UPW) have moved quickly to plug a major hole in their campaign, naming England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones as an injury replacement for Phoebe Litchfield for the remainder of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026.
Phoebe Litchfield out of WPL 2026
Litchfield’s exit is a massive setback for the Warriorz in the most untimely stage of the season. The Australian left-hander had been one of UPW’s few consistent performers, scoring 243 runs in six matches and often holding the innings together in a line-up that has otherwise struggled for momentum. Litchfield ended her WPL 2026 campaign with a superb tally of almost 250 runs at a great strike rate of 154.78.
Her injury now rules her out of the business end of the tournament, forcing UPW to rethink their balance just as the playoff race tightens. While Amy Jones has come in, she may not start from the word go. Deandra Dottin, who is one of the best all-rounders in the game, should come in to bolster the UPW side. The other foreigners pick for themselves captain Meg Lanning, Chloe Tryon and Sophie Ecclestone. Charli Knott is another option on the bench.
Jones, signed for INR 50 lakh, brings experience if not recent WPL game time. The 30-year-old has played 125 T20Is for England, scoring 1,666 runs, and offers immediate value through her versatility. She can slot in anywhere in the top or middle order and also provides an additional wicketkeeping option, giving the Warriorz some flexibility with their combinations.
UP Warriorz qualification race
With only four points from six games and the worst net run rate in the league, UP Warriorz are still alive but walking a tightrope. Their simplest path is clear. They need to win both remaining matches, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on January 29 and Delhi Capitals (DC) on February 1, to finish on eight points.
Even then, qualification won’t be entirely in their hands. If UPW beat both RCB and DC, they will hope Gujarat Giants defeat Mumbai Indians, which would leave RCB and GG on 10 points and open up the third playoff spot for the Warriorz. A three-way tie on eight points involving UPW, MI and GG is also possible, but UPW’s poor net run rate (-0.769) means they would need at least one emphatic win to stay ahead.
There is also a slimmer route if they lose to RCB. In that case, UPW would need to beat DC by a big margin and rely on MI losing heavily to GG, once again dragging net run rate into the equation.
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