Neetu David Appointed Head of Scouting for UP Warriors Ahead of WPL 2027

New Delhi, August 19: Neetu David, a former Indian spinner and selector for the Women’s ODI World Cup-winning team, has been appointed as the head of scouting for UP Warriors ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 season. The franchise announced this decision on Wednesday.

Last week, Neetu joined the support staff team led by head coach Abhishek Nair during an off-season camp for domestic players at the Sai Krishnan Grounds in Bengaluru. Following a series of poor performances in the WPL, the team aims to revamp its talent identification process. The support staff for UP Warriors also includes fielding coach Saurabh Bandekar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar.

The franchise expressed its enthusiasm on social media platform ‘X’, stating, “We are thrilled to have the selector of India’s World Cup-winning team as our head of scouting. Welcome to UP Warriors, Neetu David.” Recognized as one of India’s finest slow left-arm orthodox spinners, Neetu has previously served as the chairperson of the Indian women’s selection committee. Her extensive experience in administration and talent identification will be invaluable to the franchise.

In her new role, Neetu will focus on discovering emerging domestic talent to strengthen a franchise that has struggled to perform consistently in the tournament’s first four seasons. UP Warriors has been the most challenged team in the league’s brief history, securing victories in only 12 out of 33 matches. After qualifying for the playoffs in the inaugural season in 2023, the franchise has been eliminated in the group stage for the next three seasons. The team finished fourth in 2024, while it ranked at the bottom of the points table in both 2025 and 2026.

During her illustrious international career from 1995 to 2008, Neetu David played 10 Tests and 97 ODIs for India, claiming a total of 182 international wickets across both formats. She is particularly remembered for her remarkable performance in 1995, where she took 8 wickets for 53 runs in a women’s Test match against the West Indies in Jamshedpur.