In this year’s Women’s Premier League (WPL), a big cricket league for women in India, many people think the coin toss decides who wins. The toss is when team captains flip a coin to see who bats first or second. So far, in 14 games of the third season, the team batting second has won 12 times. This makes it seem like luck is more important than skill.
But Jon Lewis, the coach of the UP Warriorz team, doesn’t agree. He spoke to reporters on Sunday, March 01, 2025, before a game against the Gujarat Giants (GG) at Ekana Stadium. Lewis said the toss isn’t the biggest deal, even though batting second seems to help. His team is the only one this season to win a game after batting first, against Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru.
Lewis explained, “From the results, it seems like the decisive factor. From my point of view, it is not really so. It is about who plays the best cricket. Regardless of what happens with the toss, though it seems like batting second is an advantage, it doesn’t feel to me like the most crucial thing.” He means that playing well matters more than winning the toss.
He also said his team needs to get better. “We haven’t quite clicked. We have had some individual moments. We have got a lot of power. What I would like is for our team to be slightly more consistent, especially through the middle part of the game. If we do that, I don’t think the toss will be relevant.” “Consistent” means doing well all the time, not just sometimes. Lewis believes if his team plays steadily, especially in the middle of the game, the toss won’t decide the winner.
The Gujarat Giants, the team UP Warriorz will face, are last in the standings with four points after five games. But they recently beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the team that won last year. GG’s coach, Michael Klinger, said, “The win against RCB was crucial to keep us very much in the competition. Other than DC, it is very even at the moment. Every game is crucial for all teams now.” “Crucial” means very important. He’s saying that except for Delhi Capitals (DC), all teams are close in points, so every game matters a lot.
In short, while many think the toss is deciding WPL games, Coach Jon Lewis says it’s more about playing good cricket. He wants his UP Warriorz to improve and not worry about luck. Meanwhile, the Gujarat Giants are fighting to stay in the race after a big win!
