Who Will Finish as the Top Run-Scorer in WPL 2026?
Author: Vishnu Reddy
Updated At:
The Orange Cap race in WPL 2026 is slowly starting to separate the contenders from the pack. With a few matches already done, patterns are emerging, especially when you compare this season’s numbers with what these players achieved in 2024/25.
History matters in tournaments like the WPL, and the players who have done it before usually find a way to stay in the hunt again. Here are five batters who are very much in the conversation to finish as the top run-scorer this season.
Nat Sciver-Brunt
Nat Sciver-Brunt was the standout batter of WPL 2024/25 for Mumbai Indians Women, finishing as the tournament’s top run-scorer with 523 runs, averaging 66 and striking at 153. She was the backbone of MI’s batting, delivering big runs almost every time they needed stability or acceleration.
This season, she continues to represent Mumbai Indians Women, remaining a key part of their plans. In WPL 2026 so far, she has already scored 139 runs from 3 innings, placing her 5th on the current run charts. Her average sits around 47, with a strike rate of 152, showing that she hasn’t dropped intensity.
Sciver-Brunt is a batter who grows into tournaments, and with Mumbai’s batting revolving heavily around her, she remains one of the strongest contenders to finish on top once again.
Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur finished 5th on the run-scoring charts in WPL 2024/25 while playing for Mumbai Indians Women, scoring 302 runs across the season. She averaged 34 and struck the ball at a healthy rate, contributing consistently without completely dominating the tournament. While it wasn’t her most explosive WPL campaign, her ability to play key innings in pressure moments underlined her importance to MI’s batting core.
This season feels different. In WPL 2026, she has stayed with Mumbai Indians Women and looks far more assertive in her role. She is currently leading the run charts with 181 runs from just 4 innings. Her average, rounded up, sits at 91, and her strike rate is around 161, which tells you how destructive she has been.
She’s staying unbeaten more often, controlling the tempo, and finishing innings strongly. If she maintains this rhythm, Harmanpreet is arguably the strongest candidate right now to finish as the tournament’s top run-scorer.
Ashleigh Gardner
Ashleigh Gardner ended the WPL 2024/25 season 7th among the top run-scorers for Gujarat Giants Women, finishing with 243 runs. Her average hovered around 31, but her impact came through a powerful strike rate of 165, one of the best in the competition. Gardner’s role was clear: quick runs and momentum shifts, even if she didn’t always bat deep.
In WPL 2026, She continues with Gujarat Giants Women this season and has already made her presence felt. Gardner has 137 runs from 4 innings in WPL 2026, placing her 6th overall, with an average of 35 and a strike rate of 164. If she gets a couple of extended stays at the crease, Gardner has the firepower to surge rapidly into Orange Cap contention.
Gardner is the kind of player who can jump five places with one big innings. If Gujarat Giants lean on her batting more, she could very quickly push into the top three.
Harleen Deol
Harleen Deol wrapped up WPL 2024/25 8th on the overall run charts while representing Gujarat Giants Women. She accumulated 232 runs, averaging a solid 39, showcasing her ability to anchor innings when wickets fell around her. Though not the flashiest scorer, Deol’s consistency made her one of the more reliable middle-order batters last season.
Now in different colours this season, she has 122 runs from 4 innings, sitting 10th on the run-scoring list. Her average is around 41, and while her strike rate is lower than the power hitters, her value lies in consistency. If others around her have one or two failures, Deol’s steady run accumulation could see her climb the table. She may not be the favourite, but she’s very much in the race.
Meg Lanning
Meg Lanning finished 6th among the leading run-scorers in WPL 2024/25 for Delhi Capitals Women, scoring 276 runs during the season. She averaged 35, playing her usual role of providing stability and composed starts at the top. While she didn’t produce a standout tournament-defining knock, her reliability ensured DC’s batting rarely started on the back foot.
In WPL 2026, Lanning has 123 runs from 4 innings, currently ranked 9th. Her average rounds up to 31, and her strike rate is just under 110, which is modest by her standards. However, Lanning has always been a late-season accumulator. If she starts converting the starts into big 70s and 80s, she can still make a serious push towards the top.
Right now, Harmanpreet Kaur is setting the pace, while Nat Sciver-Brunt remains the most proven Orange Cap winner in the mix. Gardner has the explosiveness to surge quickly, Deol offers consistency, and Lanning’s experience keeps her relevant no matter where she stands mid-season.
The race is far from over, but if current trends continue, the Orange Cap in WPL 2026 is likely to come down to a battle between dominance now and pedigree over time
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