Following a successful litmus test, the caravan of Women’s Premier League (WPL) is now headed to its highly anticipated second instalment, where the teams are shrewed than ever before, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Before the action commences in Bangalore on Friday, 23 February, we take a look at how the five teams stack up.
1. Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals did not do much wrong in the inaugural season, and subsequently, they did not need many additions. Annabel Sutherland, signed for Rs 2 crore, is the only notable acquisition from the auction, with the other two signings – Aparna Mondal and Ashwani Kumari – likely to add to the bench strength.
Probable Playing XI:
Meg Lanning (captain), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Taniya Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Minnu Mani, Shikha Pandey, Titas Sadhu.
Strengths:
Delhi Capitals showcase an imposing top five, capable of giving any bowling unit, of any given opposition, a run for all their worth. In Verma and Lanning, Delhi’s opening pair features the perfect amalgamation of belligerence and balance. The pair scored a combined 597 runs last season, where Verma’s strike rate was 185.29, while Lanning’s was 139.11. The trio succeeding them in the batting order – Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues and Marizanne Kapp – had averages and strike rates north of 25 and 120 respectively last season.
In addition to their batting firepower, the Capitals also possess utilitarian cricketers, capable of contributing across all facets. South African veteran Marizanne Kapp scored 177 runs and picked up nine wickets last season, whilst English teenager Alice Capsey scored 159 runs and had six wickets to her name.
Weaknesses:
For all of their scintillating batting brilliance, the Capitals lack a prominent figure behind the stumps. Taniya Bhatia had a season to forget in 2023, where she could score only 15 runs in nine matches, with her average being 1.66. At the auction, surprisingly, the only keeper acquired by Delhi was Bengal’s Aparna Mondal, who was a part of the team in the previous edition as well.
Besides keeping, the Capitals are also not particularly menacing in the spin department. Contrary to names like Shikha Pandey, Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland in the pace unit, Lanning will be reliant on the likes of Alice – who is predominantly a batting all-rounder, and the pair of Radha Yadav and either Minnu Mani or Arundhati Reddy – none of whom were successful in making an impression last year.
2. Gujarat Giants
Gujarat opted for a radical route ahead of the season, releasing eleven players. The decision was not entirely surprising, coming on the heels of a horrendous 2023 season, where they won only two matches and finished at the bottom of the table. They made ten additions to their squad at the auction, but lightning has struck even before the season begins, as Rs 2 crore signing Kashvee Gautam has been ruled out with an injury.
Probable Playing XI:
Beth Mooney (captain), Phoebe Litchfield, Laura Wolvaardt, Harleen Deol, Kathryn Bryce, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Mannat Kashyap, Meghna Singh.
Strengths:
The Giants’ strength lies in the gigantic names they have in their top order. Last season’s catastrophe was exacerbated by the unavailability of skipper Beth Mooney, but not only is the Aussie batter available for this season, she is in fine form as well, having scored six half-centuries in her last eight international matches across all formats. Partnering her will be another Aussie in Phoebe Litchfield, whilst both Laura Wolvaardt and Harleen Deol batted well in WPL 2023.
Moreover, the Giants will be bolstered by the acquisition of Kathryn Bryce. The Scottish all-rounder is the only associate cricketer in this year’s WPL, allowing Gujarat the luxury to field five foreigners instead of the standard four. She, too, will have form on her side, having scored three half-centuries in her last five international appearances.
Weaknesses:
Compared to their batting unit, Gujarat’s bowling department has a humdrum appearance. Besides overseas all-rounders, they will have to be reliant on Indian players like Sneh Rana and Tanuja Kanwar, who barely had any influence over proceedings a year ago.
Moreover, they also lack bench strength, especially after Kashvee Gautam’s injury. Giants’ hopes will hence hinge on the performance of a few notable names, all of whom will have the responsibility to deliver.
3. Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians are not known for mending what is not broken – at least in the WPL – and hence, the defending champions retained their core team. They did make a few additions – five, to be specific – but only a couple of them could play a part of note.
Probable Playing XI:
Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Humairaa Kaazi, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Saika Ishaque, Fatima Jaffer.
Strengths:
Mumbai’s biggest strength is the continuation of their core. Had they not made a single acquisition at the mini auction, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team would still have been regarded as the prime title contender, as they continue to reap rewards of doing most things right at the major auction.
One of those things was reinforcing the top order with players possessing all-round abilities. Caribbean opener Hayley Matthews, for instance, not only scored 271 runs last season, but also picked up 16 wickets. 332 runs was not the only contribution of English cricketer Nat Sciver-Brunt, as she also picked up 10 wickets.
Weaknesses:
Much like fellow finalists Delhi, Mumbai boast a puissant top five. However, trouble arises beyond the quintet. All-rounders Amanjot Kaur and Humairaa Kaazi, who feature in Mumbai’s lower-middle order, scored a combined 32 runs last season.
Moreover, they are also dependant on their all-rounders, especially the pace-bowling ones, to do a job or two with the ball. As for their specialist Indian pacers, Pooja Vastrakar could only pick up two wickets in seven appearances last season, while they might have to pin hopes on an inexperienced localite, Fatima Jaffer.
4. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore made headlines at the auction table – for their flashy bids. And then, on the ground – for their contrastingly dull performance. Having evaded the wooden spoon only owing to their net run rate, Bangalore justifiably had a pragmatic approach for this season, making seven additions to their team.
Probable Playing XI:
Smriti Mandhana (captain), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Disha Kasat, Sabbhineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Renuka Singh, Ekta Bisht.
Strengths:
Bangalore boast a vastly experienced top three. Smriti Mandhana, though the youngest skipper in this competition, has played 128 T20Is for the Indian team. New Zealand’s Sophie Devine has played only a game fewer, while Australia’s Ellyse Perry has 151 T20I appearances to her name. The trio combined to score 671 runs last season, although Mandhana was not in the best of forms.
Moreover, they also have a formidable pace unit. Renuka Singh might have picked only one wicket last season, but she is among India’s more reliable pacers in the shortest format of the game, having scalped 39 T20I wickets. New addition Kate Cross, meanwhile, had a decent outing in The Hundred Women’s, picking up 10 wickets for Northern Superchargers.
Weaknesses:
Bangalore’s middle-order is as redoubtable as their top three. With Kanika Ahuja ruled out with an injury and Heather Knight released, they will need Disha Kasat – who scored just 11 runs last season, and Sabbhineni Meghana – who scored only 81, to come good when the chips are down.
Bangalore’s women’s team, much like it’s men’s counterpart, is over-reliant on a handful of superstars. Should the likes of Mandhana and Perry encounter a slump in form, they might find between a rock and a hard place, all over again.
5. UP Warriorz
In WPL 2023, UP Warriorz found themselves a slot between the glorious and the ghastly – finishing third, but then becoming the first team to be knocked out of the playoffs. They have made five additions, and are likely to pose a threat again.
Probable Playing XI:
Alyssa Healy (captain), Shweta Sehrawat, Tahlia McGrath, Vrinda Dinesh, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Khemnar, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Soppadhandi Yashasri, Anjali Sarvani.
Strengths:
When it comes to orchestrating the conglomeration of overseas players, UP Warriorz have done an exemplary job. Skipper Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris combined to score 785 runs last season, whilst Sophie Ecclestone picked up 16 wickets. If the quartet was not impressive enough, the Warriorz further fortified their squad with the additions of Danni Wyatt – the leading run-scorer at The Hundred Women’s, and Chamari Athapaththu – the second-highest run-scorer at the Women’s Big Bash League.
The Warriorz also have at their disposal an efficacious spin-bowling quartet – of Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Grace Harris. Sharma and Gayakwad scalped a combined 16 wickets last season, while Harris can bowl a few overs when her teams needs her to.
Weaknesses:
The adjectives used for UP Warriorz’s spin contingent cannot be repeated whilst evaluating their pace department, which lacks both renowned names and experience. The team might have to expect the likes of Soppadhandi Yashasri and Anjali Sarvani to exceed expectations.
Barring the overseas names, the team also lacks experience in their top order. Shweta Sehrawat could only score 40 runs in seven matches last season, and whilst Vrinda Dinesh was signed for Rs 1.30 crore following excellent performances in domestic cricket, the 22-year-old is yet to be thrown at the deep end.
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