In a significant milestone during the Women's Premier League 2026, UP Warriorz skipper Meg Lanning has climbed to second place on the all-time run-scoring charts. The Australian batting maestro achieved this feat during her team's encounter against the Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.
Lanning's Historic Climb in WPL Record Books
During her innings of 30 runs from 27 balls, Lanning surpassed the previous tally of 972 runs set by Royal Challengers Bengaluru's star all-rounder Ellyse Perry. Lanning's career WPL runs now stand at 981, placing her firmly in second position. The only player ahead of her is Mumbai Indians' dynamic all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who leads the elite list with 1,031 runs to her name.
Sciver-Brunt holds the unique distinction of being the only batter to have crossed the 1,000-run mark in the tournament's history. Her remarkable tally was significantly bolstered by a phenomenal 2025 season, where she became the first cricketer ever to score over 500 runs in a single WPL edition. This record-breaking performance was instrumental in Mumbai Indians' championship victory that year.
A High-Scoring Clash and the Race for the Top
Despite a blistering knock of 78 runs off just 40 deliveries from young gun Phoebe Litchfield, the UP Warriorz fell short by 10 runs in a high-scoring thriller. The Gujarat Giants managed to defend their total, securing a crucial victory.
With the 2026 season now underway, the focus intensifies on the fascinating duel for the top spot. Lanning is now just 50 runs behind Sciver-Brunt, setting the stage for a captivating battle throughout the remainder of the tournament. The earlier record for the most runs in a single season was held by Ellyse Perry, who amassed 347 runs during RCB's triumphant 2024 campaign.
Consistency and New Beginnings
Meg Lanning has been a pillar of consistency since the WPL's inception. She represented the Delhi Capitals in the first three seasons, accumulating 952 runs in 27 matches and steering the team to the final on all three occasions. In a major pre-season move ahead of WPL 2026, Delhi Capitals released Lanning, after which she was snapped up by the UP Warriorz and handed the captain's armband.
Ellyse Perry, who concluded her third WPL season with 972 runs for RCB, played a pivotal role in their 2024 title win. Although retained by the franchise for the 2026 season, Perry withdrew from the tournament due to personal reasons.
The Women's Premier League 2026 commenced on January 9 and is scheduled to conclude with the final on February 5 at the BCA Stadium (Kotambi) in Vadodara. As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on whether Lanning can close the gap and potentially overtake Sciver-Brunt to become the WPL's all-time leading run-scorer.
