Lucknow witnessed the culmination of a unique city-wide sporting initiative on January 18, 2026, as the finale of The Warriorz League brought together students, professionals, administrators, and cricket enthusiasts at the YOLO Sports Arena, Harmony Park.
Conceptualised and delivered by UP Warriorz, one of the five franchises of the Women’s Premier League, the tournament marked a significant step in building a sustainable grassroots ecosystem for women’s cricket in Uttar Pradesh.
More than just a competitive event, The Warriorz League was designed as a community-driven movement. By combining inter-college women’s cricket with mixed-gender corporate matches, the initiative aimed to normalise women’s participation in sport, encourage inclusive spaces, and extend cricket beyond elite pathways into everyday urban life. The finale was not merely the end of a tournament, but the closing chapter of a month-long engagement exercise that reached deep into Lucknow’s academic and corporate communities.
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The closing ceremony was attended by Smt. Leena Johri, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, whose presence underscored the institutional support behind the initiative. Her participation reflected the growing alignment between sport, social development, and policy-driven efforts to empower women through visibility and opportunity.
On the field, the College category saw Be Yourself, captained by Aradhya Shukla, emerge as champions after a consistent and composed campaign. Ayurvedic Hurricane, led by captain Fiza, finished as runners-up, earning praise for their competitiveness and team cohesion throughout the tournament. In the Corporate category, Dominos Warriors, under the leadership of Sumit Yadav, clinched the title, while Master Blaster, captained by Ashish, finished second after a spirited run to the final.
The matches themselves reflected the league’s ethos—competitive yet celebratory, focused on participation as much as performance. For many players, particularly in the college category, the league offered a rare chance to compete in a structured tournament environment, complete with officials, fixtures, and a final-stage spotlight.
Broad-Based Participation Across the City
One of the defining successes of The Warriorz League was the breadth of its reach. Participation came from a wide range of educational institutions across Lucknow, including Amity University, Jaipuria Institute, GCRG Group of Institutions, IIM Lucknow, Avadh Girls’ College, Babu Yugraj Singh College, Yashraj College, Shri Ram Swarup Group, and Eram Girls’ Degree College, among others. This diversity ensured representation across academic disciplines and socio-economic backgrounds, reinforcing the league’s inclusive intent.
Equally notable was the engagement from the corporate sector. The league drew teams from major organisations and workspaces, blending competitive cricket with workplace camaraderie. By including mixed-gender corporate matches, the organisers deliberately positioned sport as a shared platform for equality, collaboration, and mutual respect.
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The finale was the culmination of extensive groundwork. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, UP Warriorz conducted 22 on-ground activations across Lucknow 16 in colleges and six in corporate settings. These activations reached over 5,000 individuals, creating awareness, encouraging first-time participation, and fostering curiosity around women’s cricket.
Engagement drives were held at prominent campuses, corporate parks, and co-working spaces such as Urbanac and Awfis, as well as established organisations including HCL, Eldeco, and InMobi. The activations were not limited to registrations alone; they involved interactive sessions, informal games, and conversations around women’s participation in sport. The result was the successful onboarding of 16 college teams and 16 corporate teams, a reflection of the appetite for structured sporting opportunities when access barriers are removed.
What set The Warriorz League apart was its positioning. Rather than operating as a one-off promotional event, it was structured as a sustained engagement model. The combination of competitive matches, institutional backing, and community outreach ensured that the league resonated beyond the boundary lines.
For UP Warriorz, the initiative aligns closely with the franchise’s broader identity. While the team competes at the elite level in the WPL, The Warriorz League represents an investment in the base of the pyramid—where participation, aspiration, and opportunity intersect. By anchoring the league in Lucknow, the franchise reinforced its regional roots and strengthened its connection with local communities.
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The successful conclusion of The Warriorz League offers a blueprint for how professional franchises can meaningfully contribute to grassroots sport. It demonstrated that women’s cricket does not grow solely through televised matches and elite pathways, but through sustained community engagement that creates safe, visible, and aspirational spaces for participation.
Importantly, the league normalised women’s presence on cricket fields in colleges and workplaces, challenging lingering stereotypes around gender and sport. For many young participants, the experience of representing their institution, wearing team colours, and playing in a structured league may serve as a catalyst for continued involvement in sport—whether competitively or recreationally.
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As the curtains came down on The Warriorz League, its impact extended well beyond trophies and results. It strengthened networks, sparked conversations, and demonstrated the power of sport as a tool for empowerment and social cohesion. For Lucknow, the league marked a step forward in becoming a more active, inclusive sporting city. For UP Warriorz, it reinforced a commitment that goes beyond wins and losses towards building a lasting women’s cricket culture in Uttar Pradesh.
In that sense, the finale was not an ending, but a foundation for what could become a recurring movement one that continues to place women, community, and opportunity at the heart of the game.
