Luke Williams appointed Mumbai Indians head coach ahead of WPL 2027

Mumbai Indians have appointed Luke Williams as the head coach of the women's team in the build up to Women's Premier League 2027. The former South Australian cricketer takes over from Lisa Keightley, who has stepped down after just one season in charge after taking over from Charlotte Edwards.

Williams, 46, has a lot of experience as a coach, including in the WPL, where he led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the title in 2024. In addition, he was the Assistant Coach of the Southern Brave team in the Women's Hundred during their successful 2023 campaign. He also led the Adelaide Strikers to two runners-up finishes and their first WBBL title in 2022 and 2023. Since 2025, Williams has held the position of Assistant Coach of the England Women's team.

After their forgettable 2026 campaign, in which the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team won just three games and finished fourth in the standings, he will now be tasked with assisting the two-time champions of the WPL in ascending once more. "Working with this talented group of players and support staff and joining Mumbai Indians, a respected and successful organization, is an exciting opportunity for me.

"This is a fantastic chance for us to work together on something, play an exciting style of cricket, and compete for success. I am looking forward to the challenge and making our fans proud.

Nita Ambani, the owner of MI, stated, "We are delighted to welcome Luke Williams to the Mumbai Indians family." Ambani was speaking about the appointment. Luke is a proven winner and brings with him rich experience, a deep understanding of the women’s game, and a strong commitment to developing players.

"I am confident that, with Luke's guidance and Harman's leadership, our girls will continue to grow, achieve greater success, and inspire young girls everywhere to dream big. Our girls have created a proud legacy in the WPL. As we begin this exciting new chapter together, I wish Luke and the entire team all the best."