.svg)
Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Harleen Deol promoted to open, Navgire dropped to No. 4
- 2🏆 UP Warriorz's second loss in WPL 2026 campaign
- 3💡 Nayar takes full blame for opposition-based tactics
- 4🔮 Pressure mounts for quick tactical reset ahead
"UPW head coach said promoting Deol to open and slotting in Navgire at No. 4 against RCB was a 'call based on the opposition' which 'didn't work'"
Abhishek Nayar owned up to a tactical misfire after UP Warriorz suffered their second defeat, this time against a dominant Royal Challengers Bengaluru in WPL 2026. Promoting Harleen Deol to open and dropping opener Kiran Navgire to No. 4 backfired spectacularly, leaving the Men in Blue faithful frustrated yet again.
Bold Experiment Gone Wrong
Nayar called the shuffle a deliberate move tailored to counter RCB's attack, but it crumbled under pressure. Deol struggled at the top, unable to set the platform, while Navgire, fresh off a strong opener's role in the season curtain-raiser, looked out of sorts lower down. UPW's middle order never recovered, folding in a chase that exposed their fragile batting depth. Fans on social media were quick to dub it a 'foolish gamble', echoing Nayar's own candid admission.
"I look foolish after that call—it just didn't work out." — Abhishek Nayar
With UP Warriorz already on the backfoot early in WPL 2026, Nayar faces mounting pressure to steady the ship. Their next clash demands a return to basics if they hope to climb the table and silence the critics.
Related Stories
