New Delhi: UP Warriorz, who are already without their injured skipper Alyssa Healy, have suffered another big blow to their campaign at the ongoing Women’s Premier League 2025 (WPL) with their premier batter Chamari Athapaththu confirming her unavailability for the second half of the tournament.
Athapaththu will miss the women’s event beyond February 26 after being named as skipper of the national side for the white-ball series against New Zealand starting on March 4. Sri Lanka is slated to play three ODIs and as many T20Is during the tour to the Kiwi nation and the premier batter will leave the WPL 2025 midway to take part in the series, according to report in ESPNcricinfo.
Athapaththu snubbed from opening WPL game
Athapaththu was not included by the franchise in their opening game against the Gujarat Giants on Sunday, which the UPW lost by 6 wickets but the batter will be part of the next four matches the franchise plays before February 26. UPW next take on Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday. The final phase of the tournament will feature three home game in Lucknow but the player will not participate in those matches.
Earlier on Monday, Athapaththu was appointed the skipper of Sri Lanka’s 16-member squad, which will depart for New Zealand on February 22. The only Kiwi player in WPL this season, Amelia Kerr, will continue playing in the WPL for Mumbai Indians. The New Zealand player also participated in the last edition of the tournament and skipped the team’s bilateral T20Is against England.
For UPW, it will be imperative to make a mark and keep the ball rolling especially after facing a defeat in their first match of the event. They will be up against DC in their next match, who started off with a narrow win over Mumbai in their opening game while lost the second match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
UP Warriorz (UPW) will next face Delhi Capitals (DC) in their next match in Women’s Premier League 2025 on Wednesday in Vadodara. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
