Ben Sawyer will be replaced as head coach of Royal
Challengers Bangalore by Australian Luke Williams ahead of the second season of
the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Williams’ reputation as a coach is growing after a
brief first-class playing career from 2000 to 2005. He oversaw the Adelaide
Strikers for four seasons in the WBBL, leading them to their first championship
in 2022–2023 after two runners-up finishes.
Williams collaborated closely with Charlotte Edwards
while serving as Southern Brave’s assistant coach as they won their first
Women’s Hundred championship this year. The Women’s National Cricket League
(WNCL) in Australia is another league where he has worked with the South
Australian Scorpions.
In the first season of the WPL earlier this year, RCB
had a difficult time, finishing fourth out of five clubs and taking home only
two victories in their eight group-stage matches. In addition, the proprietors
decided to change the coaching staff in advance of the 2024 edition, just as
they did with the men’s setup. Sanjay Bangar has been replaced as head coach of
the men’s team by Andy Flower, who managed the Lucknow Super Giants previous
season. Andy Flower has committed to a three-year contract.
They lost their first five games of the season,
effectively ending their qualification hopes, before winning two of their last
three matches to finish fourth, ahead of Gujarat Giants.