Before the WPL 2026 season, the Mumbai Indians hire Lisa Keightley as their head coach

The Mumbai Indians Women's team has hired Lisa Keightley, a former Australian international cricketer, to be the head coach for the next season of the Women's Premier League (WPL). Charlotte Edwards, who won the WPL twice as a coach, will be replaced by her. Edwards became the head coach of the England national team in April of this year.

Keightley, who is 54 years old, has played for Australia 92 times (9 WTests, 82 WODIs, and 1 WT20I). She was on the women's World Cup-winning teams in 1997 and 2005. Keightley has coached both the Australian and English women's national teams since she stopped playing.

Keightley's most recent coaching job was with the Northern Superchargers in the Women's Hundred last month, when they won the championship. She has also coached in the WBBL with the Sydney Thunder.

Keightley said she was honored to join a team that has set the "benchmark" in the WPL and was pleased to help the organization grow on their success. Keightley commented, "It's an honor to join the Mumbai Indians, a team that has set the standard in the WPL." "I really admire the culture of excellence and care." I'm excited to work with this great crew to build on our achievements and keep inspiring people on and off the field.

The Mumbai Indians are the current champions and have won two of the three WPL editions: 2023 and 2025. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the title in 2024. In the two years, they won. MI overcame Delhi Capitals in the final, but they fell to RCB, who would go on to win the tournament, in the Eliminator in 2024.