Abhishek Nayar hails Harleen Deol (Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com)
Mohammad Rizwan’s shocking retired-out moment in the BBL had barely settled when the drama spilled into WPL 2026. While playing against the Delhi Capitals, Harleen was called retired-out by Abhishek Nayar sparked outrage among fans as they questioned the tactics.
After the batter was seen visibly frustrated, a buzz created over the possible rift between Harleen and Nayar. But her match-winning knock silenced the noise, as the UP Warriorz head coach broke his silence on the move and showered her with praise.
Abhishek Nayar breaks silence on the controversial time-out call
WPL’s latest season has already delivered edge-of-the-seat drama, but the Delhi Capitals Women vs UP Warriorz clash produced a truly bizarre moment that left fans stunned. While batting first, the Warriorz faced a little slump, but Meg Lanning and Harleen Deol’s crucial partnership steadied their innings.
But an unexpected moment arrived when UP Warriorz management called up the Indian star on a retire-out, and that move sparked controversy. The shock call fuelled wild speculation about her equation with head coach Abhishek Nayar. But after the Indian star secured UP Warriorz's first win of the season last night, Nayar cleared the air on this controversial call.
“When we had the timeout, the thought process was, before we started, we thought about roles that we thought people need to play. Whenever you make a move, you're always thinking as the team being the forefront of it. Harleen, we felt, had done a job at that time. We had power. And we thought if in that phase we could get those extra 30–40 runs, it was just that mindset that we felt those roles were created for those particular players,” he said.
Adding to that, Nayar praised Harleen’s ‘team first’ mindset. He said, “All she thinks and breathes is the team. Her core focus has always been what the team requires. That always helps when every player believes in the team ethos. Harleen is a testament of what a team player is.”
Harleen Deol opens up after her game-changing knock
Stepping into the field against the Mumbai Indians Women, Harleen Deol transformed the previous heartbreak into a fiery spirit. Chasing the162-run total, she stood tall among all the difficulties. After a stunning half-century, she played an unbeaten 64-run knock and sealed the most-awaited victory. After wrapping up the game on high, she reflected on her innings.
“Actually, wicket was different yesterday and wicket was different today. I just wanted to play long because starting, I got a lot of boundaries. I got that tempo. And I just wanted to keep carrying that forward. I got that. And the wicket was really nice to bat on. So I just wanted to finish it off,” she said.
Harleen Deol credits captain and coach after statement win
After a nightmare start with three straight losses, the UP Warriorz finally turned the tide by stunning Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. with a commanding 7-wicket win. After the team registered their first victory of the season, Harleen dedicated the victory to Captain Meg Lanning and coach Abhishek Nayar.
“Like today, the wicket was a lot better [to bat]. So, to understand that was the key for me today. Because I know that, you know, they have good pace bowlers. Like, which bowler I could take the attack against. So that was the only thing which I did today. Nothing else. First win [of the season] for Meg Lanning and Mr. Abhishek Nayar,” she said.
With just one match in four games, they are standing in last position of the points table. They will face MI Women again on January 17, and fans are already bracing for another edge-of-the-seat showdown.
