UP Warriorz had to eventually resort to bringing in a top-order batter as a replacement player, if not for Alyssa Healy, they have done it for Chamari Athapaththu, who left the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) midway through the tournament due to international commitments. The Warriorz have signed up the 21-year-old Georgia Voll, the young Queensland opener, who also replaced Healy at the top of the order for Australia in white-ball matches against India and England.
"UP Warriorz (UPW) picked Georgia Voll as a replacement for Chamari Athapaththu for the remainder of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025. Athapaththu will be resuming national duties for Sri Lanka," a WPL release stated. Athapaththu didn't get to play a single game for the Warriorz in WPL 2025 and will travel to New Zealand to lead Sri Lanka in six white-ball matches against the White Ferns, starting March 4.
Voll would provide a much-needed boost to the Warriorz's top order, which looks like a headless chicken at the moment with no direction. Grace Harris had one good knock in the top three, Kiran Navgire had a quickfire half-century to her name but the rest of the lot has been disappointing. Tahlia McGrath's poor form hasn't helped and only Sophie Ecclestone and Chinelle Henry are the only ones pulling their weight as senior overseas stars.
Voll made her debut across all three formats for Australia, playing three ODIs against India in which she had a century to boast off, three T20Is against England and even the one-off Ashes Test. Voll didn't really light up the T20 series but her sensational season for the Sydney Thunder where she scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 144 in the WBBL probably let the selectors fast-track her in the national side.
The Warriorz still have the destiny in their own hands with their first-ever home leg set to kick off on March 3 in Lucknow, Deepti Sharma and Co will hope to get at least a couple of wins out of three matches to stay in contention for a spot in the top three.