UP Warriorz have parted ways with head coach Jon Lewis, bringing an end to the three-year association that began with the inaugural season of the WPL in 2023. Lewis, who took charge of the Warriorz at the very outset of the league, made an immediate impact by guiding the team to the playoffs in the first season.
Under his leadership, UP Warriorz finished in the top 3 but failed to qualify for the finals after suffering a defeat to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. The next two campaigns proved challenging. In the 2024 season, the Warriorz struggled to replicate their initial success, ending second from bottom on the points table, winning just three out of eight matches.
The recent 2025 season saw further difficulties, compounded by the injury of captain Alyssa Healy. Deepti Sharma took over the captaincy in Healy’s absence but the team was unable to avoid finishing at the bottom, again with only three wins in eight games.
Despite the struggles, the team under Lewis did show flashes of brilliance. Notably, UP Warriorz set the record for the highest team total in WPL history, scoring 225 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this year. Overall, Lewis’s tenure saw the Warriorz win nine of their 25 matches.
In addition to his role with the Warriorz, Lewis had been serving as head coach of the England Women’s cricket team since November 2022. However, he stepped down from the England position in March following a disappointing Ashes series loss to Australia.
Before transitioning into coaching, Jon Lewis had a long and successful playing career in England’s domestic circuit, representing Gloucestershire predominantly, as well as Surrey and Sussex. He was known as a consistent wicket-taker over nearly two decades, retiring from professional cricket in 2014. Lewis also featured for England in international cricket, appearing in one Test, 13 One Day Internationals, and two T20 Internationals for England.
