In the fast-paced world of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, 24 hours can feel like a lifetime. On January 15, at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, Harleen Deol provided a masterclass in resilience during Match 8 between UP Warriorz (UPW) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Just a day after being at the centre of a retired out controversy that sparked heated debates across social media, the 27-year-old all-rounder answered her critics—and perhaps her own team management—with a scintillating unbeaten 64.

Harleen Deol opens up about WPL 2026 retired out controversy

The atmosphere was tense as UP Warriorz walked out to chase 162 against the defending champions. All eyes were on Harleen, following the tactical decision by head coach Abhishek Nayar to “retire her out” on 47 runs during the previous game against Delhi Capitals. The move, intended to bring in power-hitter Chloe Tryon, backfired as the team lost momentum. However, during the post-match presentation after beating MI, Deol displayed remarkable maturity regarding the incident.

“It feels good, happy for the team for the first win. Actually, yesterday too I was batting well,” Deol admitted with a calm smile in post-match presentation. Addressing the tactical substitution, she added, “As you saw today, how Chloe can change the scenario. I just took it that way. She’s someone who can hit big but that didn’t go our way yesterday. That’s how I look at it.”

Harleen emphasized that her preparation remained unchanged despite the noise. “Nothing different today. I just got a few boundary balls, sometimes it’s just your day. Normal prep for me… no point to keep stressing on that thing (retired out). First two games didn’t go my way. I was overhitting earlier. This wasn’t the wicket to do that,” Harleen concluded.

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Deol’s unbeaten match-winning spectacle

While the “retired out” saga dominated the headlines, Harleen’s performance on the field was the real story. Chasing a competitive 161/5 set by Mumbai – fueled by Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 65 – UP Warriorz needed a steady yet aggressive anchor. Harleen stepped into that role perfectly, scoring 64 off just 39 balls*.

Her innings was a clinic in timing over power. She peppered the off-side boundary with surgical precision, finding gaps that seemed non-existent to others. Her knock included 12 boundaries, many of them flowing cover drives and clever late cuts that left the MI bowlers searching for answers.

She anchored a vital 73-run partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (25) before being joined by Chloe Tryon. In a poetic twist of fate, the two players involved in the previous day’s substitution combined for an unbeaten 44-run stand to seal the 7-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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