Mumbai Indians Appoint Luke Williams as WPL Head Coach

Mumbai Indians have appointed Luke Williams as their new head coach for the Women's Premier League (WPL), succeeding former Australia cricketer Lisa Keightley. The franchise confirmed the leadership change on Thursday, marking a significant transition for the two-time champions ahead of the 2027 season.

Williams, a highly regarded coach in the women's game, previously led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden WPL title in 2024. His appointment comes after a challenging 2026 campaign for Mumbai Indians, where the team finished fourth in the five-team league, missing the playoffs for the first time since the tournament's inception in 2023.

Mumbai Indians captured the championship titles in 2023 and 2025, and previously advanced to the Eliminator stage in 2024.

Williams brings nearly two decades of coaching experience across Australia, England, and India. His track record includes back-to-back Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) titles with the Adelaide Strikers in 2022 and 2023, and a successful stint as an assistant coach for Southern Brave during their 2023 title run in The Hundred. Since 2025, he has also served as an assistant coach for the England women's team.

Mumbai Indians co-owner Nita M. Ambani praised the appointment, stating, "Luke is a proven winner and brings with him rich experience, a deep understanding of the women's game, and a strong commitment to developing players." Ambani expressed confidence that Williams, working alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur, would help the team regain its competitive edge.

Lisa Keightley, who had been at the helm since September 2025, is stepping down to focus on her role as Cricket Australia's national development lead. She will continue her duties as head coach of Sydney Thunder in the WBBL and MI London in the women's Hundred. The franchise thanked Keightley for her contributions during her tenure.

Williams' immediate focus will be the upcoming squad management. His first task is to finalize the retention list for the Mumbai Indians before the September 28 deadline. The franchise is also preparing for the WPL 2027 mini-auction, which is scheduled to take place in Kochi on October 28. The 2027 season itself is slated to be played between January 14 and February 7.

The five participating franchises operate under a salary cap of Rs 15 crore and can retain a maximum of five players from squads containing up to 18 members.