Harleen Deol Breaks Silence On Being Retired Out

Just 24 hours after a rare tactical “retired out” decision sparked intense debate across the cricketing world, Harleen Deol provided the perfect response on the field.

The UP Warriorz batter smashed a masterful, unbeaten 64 off 39 balls (including 12 boundaries) to lead her team to their first victory of the WPL 2026 season on Thursday, January 15.

The performance served as a clinical redemption after the previous night’s drama, where team management called her back to the dugout while she was on 47, specifically to bring in big-hitter Chloe Tryon.

“No Point Stressing”: Harleen Breaks Her Silence

Collecting her Player of the Match award at the DY Patil Stadium, Harleen took a pragmatic and professional stance on the controversy that had overshadowed the team’s previous loss to the Delhi Capitals.

“Actually yesterday also I was batting well. As you saw today, how Chloe can change the scenario. I just took it in that way. She’s someone who can hit big… that is the only thing which happened,” Harleen said. “There’s no point in just keeping stressing on that thing. Honestly, it gave me a lot of confidence because the first two games didn’t go my way.”

Leadership Perspectives: Lanning vs. Harmanpreet

The strategic move by coach Abhishek Nayar and captain Meg Lanning had been labeled a “backfired gamble” after UPW managed only 13 runs in the final three overs against Delhi. However, the leadership stood by their player:

• Meg Lanning (UPW Captain): Confirmed she had a “quick chat” with Harleen after the incident. “She took yesterday really well. To come out tonight and play as she did was really great to see. It shows what she can do in this format.”
• Harmanpreet Kaur (MI Captain): Admited to being “surprised” by the tactic. “I was surprised to see she was retired in the last game, but I think she came up with a very positive mindset tonight.”

WPL 2026 Standings (As of January 16, 2026)

While the win was a massive morale booster for the Warriorz, they still have work to do to climb the ladder.