UP Warriorz and Head Coach Jon Lewis Split After Three Seasons

Jon Lewis has concluded his tenure as head coach of the UP Warriorz after a three-year period marked by both promise and challenges. The franchise announced the departure via a social media statement on Friday, June 27th.

Jon Lewis, head coach of UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League, has parted ways with the franchise © BCCI

Lewis, a former English fast bowler, initially guided the Warriorz to a commendable third-place finish in the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) season in 2023. The team was eventually knocked out by the Mumbai Indians, who went on to win the championship.

However, the subsequent two seasons saw a decline in the team's performance. In 2024, they finished fourth, and in 2025, they ended up at the bottom of the table. The 2025 season was particularly challenging, with injuries to key players and a change in captaincy, with Deepti Sharma taking the helm. These factors contributed to inconsistency and a lack of team balance.

Despite the recent setbacks, the Warriorz hold the record for the highest total in WPL history. They scored 225 for 5 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this year, a match highlighted by Georgia Voll's impressive unbeaten 99.

Lewis's time with the UP Warriorz coincided with his role as the head coach of the England Women's team, a dual responsibility he held since November 2022. However, 2025 has been a difficult year for Lewis as he also stepped down from his England role in March after the team's heavy defeat to Australia in the Women's Ashes.