Jon Lewis has resigned from his position as head coach of the UP Warriorz (UPW) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) just months after leaving his role with the England women’s team. Lewis had been at the helm of the UP Warriorz since the league's inaugural season in 2023. In that first year, he successfully guided the team to the playoffs, where they were eventually defeated by the Mumbai Indians, who went on to win the championship. However, in the subsequent 2024 season, the UP Warriorz were unable to replicate this success and finished fourth in the points table, missing out on the playoffs.
In the most recent WPL 2025 season, the UP Warriorz faced further challenges. With India’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma stepping in to captain the team due to regular skipper Alyssa Healy’s knee injury, the UP Warriorz unfortunately finished at the bottom of the points table.
“From day one, you believed in us. Through the highs, the learnings, and everything in between — Thank You, Coach Jon Lewis, for leading with heart, calm, and belief. You’ll always be a part of the Warriorz Family," UP Warriorz's social media post read.
Lewis, who had a playing career representing England in one Test match, 13 One-Day Internationals, and two T20 Internationals, had previously resigned from his role as the head coach of the England women’s team. This decision followed a disappointing period for the team, including a comprehensive 16-0 defeat in the women’s Ashes series in Australia and a group-stage exit in the Women’s T20 World Cup the preceding October.
The position of England women’s head coach, which was previously held by Lewis, has now been filled by Charlotte Edwards. Edwards recently led the Mumbai Indians to their second WPL title earlier this year before her departure from the franchise. Looking ahead, the future of Lisa Sthalekar, the former Australian cricketer who served as a mentor for the UP Warriorz, remains uncertain. Additionally, Anju Jain, the former Indian player who later coached Bangladesh, has not been involved with the UP Warriorz since last year. Consequently, both the Mumbai Indians and the UP Warriorz will be in search of new head coaches as they prepare for the WPL 2026 season.