Talks on for bigger window as BCCI eager to hold WPL 2024 in home & away format
Giant billboards showcasing female cricketers occupying pride of place anywhere in India is a rarity. Yet several outdoor advertisements, featuring the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Alyssa Healy, find shelter in places of prominence, railway stations included, in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. If the Women's Premier League (WPL) is anything to go by, the sheer prominence the tournament has brought the women’s game in the country is unlike anything previously imagined. The jaw-dropping reach of the competition in its inaugural season has left an indelible impact on the world and the minds of little girls across the country in particular. The past month saw a long-awaited breaking of the glass ceiling in the context of Indian women cricketers, who finally were blessed with an opportunity to claim franchise T20 riches just like the men did 15 years ago. Moreover, stadiums remained congested for the majority of the matches, as fans and certain self-proclaimed experts flocked to see the world’s top female cricketers go toe to toe, as the encounter varied wildly with unpredictable results. However, the road ahead is certainly a long one for the cash-rich tournament to cement its position as viable rather than a short-lived phenomenon. Also Read: WPL 2023 concludes with promise of changing Indian cricket for better The inaugural season has had several examples of domestic talent benefitting from exposure to the international stage, and this is just the beginning, as the tournament is set to be played in the home-away format from the next edition onwards with a bigger window in February, revealed a source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on conditions of anonymity. The 2023 edition of the tournament was held here from March 4-26 across two venues in Mumbai. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had earlier told that tournament will remain a five-team competition for the next three seasons and it will be staged in the home and away format. "Well begun is half done. It has been a great beginning for WPL and going forward it is going to be much better than what we have seen so far. We have started with five teams but going forward there is scope for additional team given the pool of the players that is going to come in the years to follow. We are hoping increase in the number of teams but for the coming three seasons will remain five. We are surely looking at home and away format, we will see which time slot is available considering India’s international commitment and take a call. From a fan engagement point of view it is very important that we go for home and away format,” Dhumal told PTI.
14 April,2023 08:41 PM IST | Mumbai | Srijanee Majumdar
WPL 2023: Sheroes
Hayley Matthews (MI) Matches: 10, Runs: 271, Wickets: 16 The Mumbai Indians all-rounder was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament as well as the Purple Cap holder (most wickets). The West Indian, who is No. 2 in the T20I all-rounder rankings, collected four three-wicket hauls and crossed the 30-run mark four times which shows her remarkable consistency with both bat and ball. The off-spinner also boasts of a superb economy rate of 5.94. To top it all, she took three wickets in the final to help MI win. Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI Matches: 10, Runs: 332, Wickets: 10 The all-rounder emerged as the mainstay of the MI batting line-up, pulling them out of adversity on multiple occasions, including match-defining innings in both the Eliminator as well as the Final where she scored an unbeaten 72 and a 60 not out respectively. The English woman was the player of the match in both games. She also has the highest batting average of the tournament at 66.40 with three fifties and five thirty-plus scores. Without her contribution with the bat in the final, MI would not have got their hands on the trophy. Meg Lanning (DC) Matches: 9, Runs: 345 The DC skipper and opener finished as the Orange Cap (most runs in the tournament) holder. She was extremely consistent throughout, going past 30 runs in six out of the nine matches she played, reaching double figures every time. Her key decisions as captain combined with her ability with the bat, helped DC reach the final as table toppers at the end of the league stage. Then, despite posting a low total in the summit clash, the Australian’s sharp captaincy and bowling changes saw DC in with a chance right up to the last over. Saika Ishaque (MI) Matches: 10, Wickets: 15 MI’s left-arm tweaker from Bengal lit up the WPL with some scintillating spin bowling. She has emerged as the most impressive uncapped player of the season. For much of the tournament, Ishaque was leading the list of wicket-takers thanks to two three-wicket hauls and a four-wicket show in the first four matches. The three-wicket hauls came against DC and UPW, both of whom qualified for the playoffs. Interestingly, each time Saika picked a wicket, MI ended up winning the match. Sophie Ecclestone (UPW) Matches: 9, Wickets: 16 The UPW all-rounder, who is the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler, finished tied with Hayley Matthews for most wickets in the season despite having played a match less. The English left-arm spinner did not go wicket-less in a single match. She picked a four-wicket haul against RCB as well as six wickets in three outings against eventual champions MI. Harmanpreet Kaur (MI) Matches: 10, Runs: 281 The MI and India skipper was the second highest run-getter for her side, starting hot with three fifties in the first five matches. Kaur’s aggressive batting saw MI take off with a five-match winning streak and end up securing a playoff spot before any other team. Kaur’s hands-on captaincy ensured MI won eight out of 10 matches, the most by any team. Another testament to Kaur’s leadership is the fact that four of the five top wicket-takers in the WPL are from MI. In the low-scoring final, Kaur’s 37 came as a crucial contribution. Also read: 'Was waiting to win something as a captain': Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's WPL triumph
28 March,2023 09:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure | Karan Shankar
WPL 2023: Losing three early wickets hurt, admits Delhi Capitals coach Jonathan
Delhi Capitals coach and former Derbyshire wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty looked upset at the way his team lost their top three batters at a score of 35 by the fifth over against Mumbai Indians in the final. But he credited his players for making it a close contest despite having a low total on the board. “Losing three early wickets hurts you. The partnership [of 38 runs for the fourth wicket] between captain Meg [Lanning] and Marizanne [Kapp] got us back, but then [we] lost a flurry of wickets. That made it really hard, but full credit [to the players] for going into the last over [and losing with] three balls left. We still had a chance of winning there at the end,” said Batty. Also read: WPL 2023: Teen Alice’s wonder lands Delhi Capitals in final
28 March,2023 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
WPL 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur hails team’s maturity
The captaincy rivalry among India’s Harmanpreet Kaur and Australian Meg Lanning was a battle within the battle for Women’s Premier League supremacy. Though World Cup-winning Lanning has dominated Harmanpreet in ICC tournaments, Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet outclassed the Lanning-led Delhi Capitals by seven wickets to win the inaugural WPL final at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. Harmanpreet revealed how she scored over Lanning this time and proved herself en route to MI attaining glory. “It’s [WPL triumph] quite important. We have seen Lanning doing so well for her country for so many years. But it was a different scenario here and the teams were different. For me, it was important to get everybody together and make them understand why they are here and what they can do best for the team. Everybody was so mature,” said Harmanpreet at the post-match press conference when mid-day asked her how she managed to beat Lanning’s team in the decider. She was quick to point out that the players always understood what the seniors and support staff were talking about along the way. Also read: 'Was waiting to win something as a captain': Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's WPL triumph Riding on Nat Sciver-Brunt (60 not out), Harmanpreet’s 37 and their match-winning 72-run third wicket partnership, MI chased down DC’s 131-9 with three balls to spare. For Harmanpreet, it was a memorable evening. “I was waiting for this moment for a long time—when I could win something as a captain. It is also very important for women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet remarked. The MI captain lavished praise on DC’s Radha Yadav [12-ball 27 not out] and Shikha Pandey [17-ball 27 not out], who added 52 runs in just 24 balls for the last wicket and made the final more interesting. “I was very happy the way they [Pandey and Yadav] were batting. I’ve always told Radha that you don’t need to take singles because singles jiska kaam hai woh le lega [leave it to others to take singles]. I was actually happy when she hit those sixes towards the end. After the match I spoke to her and said I want to see the same [kind of] batting when you join the Indian team. Shikha bowled brilliantly throughout the tournament. And today [Sunday] when the team needed [her] batting, she took time and executed things brilliantly,” Harmanpreet added.
28 March,2023 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
WPL 2023 concludes with promise of changing Indian cricket for better
The Women's Premier League made a captivating debut and promised a bright future for the aspiring female cricketers in India but the hurriedly organised first season also left a lot of scope for improvement going forward. The WPL, played entirely across two venues in Mumbai, witnessed special performances from some of the best cricketers in the world but leaving aside left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, did not unearth a plethora of local talent like it was expected to. The five-team competition culminated on Sunday with Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur finally leading her side across the line in the summit clash against a team captained by Australian legend Meg Lanning. The tournament began with plenty of scores over 200 with boundaries as short as 42-44 metres, but pitches tired out eventually and became spin-friendly.Mumbai's Hayley Matthews won the Purple Cap for her 16 wickets ¿ including four in the final ¿ but Nat Sciver-Brunt was the overall top performer with 10 wickets and 332 runs. Also Read: WPL 2023: Oh MI Champs, you made history! Apart from Mumbai Indians' Ishaque, who took 15 wickets, Shreyanka Patil and Kanika Ahuja of Royal Challengers Bangalore made their mark on the big stage but there was a clear gap between those from the Indian domestic circuit and the world's best. While Patil lit up the field with her energy and enthusiasm, 20-year-old Ahuja showed tremendous promise at a young age with her explosive batting. Harmanpreet acknowledged that little-known Indian players did not get many roles and opportunities to play, but added value to their teams with their fielding, citing the examples of MI's Amanjot Kaur and Jintimani Kalita. The Indian skipper hoped that young and uncapped Indian players would emerge wiser from the experience, knowing what they need to do in order to bridge the gap. Delhi's head coach Jonathan Batty left with the message, challenging young Indian players to work on their game and fitness for season two. While Mumbai Indians achieved the high of recording five consecutive wins en route to the title triumph, a team led by another Indian star, Smriti Mandhana's Royal Challengers Bangalore, endured a five-game losing streak when the competition got underway and the tournament ended for them even before it began. Mandhana admitted facing difficulties handling a team full of players with bigger stature and more experience than her. Her own form with the bat failed to inspire RCB, who also had the likes of Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Sophie Devine, Megan Schutt and Renuka Singh to name a few. No doubt Mandhana, a leadership prospect with the Indian team, will emerge better from her first WPL stint as captain and player but it remains to be seen how the team responds after a horrendous first season. Lanning's Delhi Capitals did not instill fear in the opposition as Harmanpreet's MI did but the Australian Lanning led from the front and ended as the tournament's leading run-getter. But if Lanning was consistent with the bat at the top, Shafali Verma blowing hot and cold remained an issue which Delhi Capitals could not do much about. If RCB had to bear with Mandhana's poor run with the bat, Delhi Capitals experienced the same with their vice-captain Jemimah Rodrigues. The right-handed batter failed to score even a fifty, but entertained the crowd with her athleticism in the field taking some stunning catches. Gujarat Giants began with losing their preferred captain Beth Mooney halfway into the first game and endured a largely disappointing campaign, but Deol's contributions mixed with Ashleigh Gardner's prowess give them hope for the future. Sneh Rana did her best as stand-in captain, but overall, GG were not good enough to advance to the knockouts. Alyssa Healy's UP Warriorz got outplayed in the Eliminator by Mumbai Indians, but they were the first side to beat the eventual winners and showed a lot of promise with Navgire, Grace Harris, Anjali Sarvani and Sophie Ecclestone ¿ who took joint highest 16 wickets in their ranks. The 22-game competition spread over as many days this March was held entirely in Mumbai, and like many, both Healy and Ecclestone also wished for home and away games from next season onwards. It remains to be seen if the BCCI decides to organise the next WPL in the home-away format like the Indian Premier League, as crowd support plays a big part in the success of teams and also helps in creating a much needed fan base. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 March,2023 06:16 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
'Was waiting to win something as captain': Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's WPL triumph
Having guided Mumbai Indians to their inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) trophy after a seven-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday, captain Harmanpreet Kaur feels that focussing on winning crucial moments of matches and not the ultimate prize worked well for her side. Mumbai successfully chased down the target of 132 with three balls to spare in the low-scoring but tense summit clash at the Brabourne Stadium, with star England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt playing sheet-anchor with an unbeaten 60. "(Right from start) we were talking about winning the moments. We were not looking for the trophy, we were looking to win all the moments. (We thought) if we win the moments, the trophy will come automatically," Kaur told the media. "It feels very good personally also. I was waiting for this moment for a long time when I could win something as a captain. It is also very important for women's cricket. Many times we were there but could not make it. But here the tournament was different, the teams were different. Every side is so balanced and did well in the tournament," she added. Also Read: DC vs MI: Nat Sciver-Brunt steers Mumbai Indians to inaugural WPL title Her run-out against Capitals reminded fans of her dismissal in the T20 World Cup semifinal against Australia, but she said there was enough in her team's tank to overhaul the target. "Both the run outs were quite disappointing. I was confident in the last match (India versus Australia) because we had so many wickets in hand. I thought we would be able to do it. But the scenario was a lot different here, we had Nat in the middle and she was well settled. I knew who was going to bowl and how. We were quite positive to finish the game one or two overs left. But when I got out we thought we had to go by the situation," she said. The Eliminator against Gujarat played a pivotal role in Mumbai gaining momentum into the final. "When we were doing well, the only thought in mind was to not get into the elimination round. But after losing two matches we were in search of momentum. It went in our favour that we got one more match to play before the final and everybody got into the rhythm. It worked well in our favour. If you play after a long gap, it is tough to get back into momentum," Kaur explained. Moreover, Kaur was also impressed with how Delhi Capitals players Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav added 52 runs from just 24 balls for the unbroken 10th wicket, and asked them after the game to play similarly for the national team. "I told Radha after the match that the way they were playing, I want to see the same approach when you come and play for India. She promised to come with the same approach," she said. (With PTI inputs)
27 March,2023 02:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
It feels like a dream: MI captain Harmanpreet after winning WPL title
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur called it a "dream" after Mumbai Indians emerged champions of the inaugural Women's Premier League here on Sunday. MI first restricted Delhi Capitals to 131 for nine and then overhauled the target with three balls to spare to record a seven wicket win in the summit clash. "It has been a great experience, we were waiting for this for so many years. Everyone enjoyed this throughout the dressing room. It feels like a dream, for everyone here," Harmanpreet said during the post-match presentation. "So many people were asking when WPL will come and that day is here, and we are so happy and proud." MI were 23 for 2 in the fourth over while chasing 132 to win but Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed a 55-ball 60 not out to take them home. "I think having a long batting line-up, we had to go there and express. Very happy with how everyone performed. I think staying positive is key, we were lucky with full tosses going in our favour," the MI skipper said. Also read: 'Players did not fix the boundary rope': Harmanpreet Kaur gives fitting reply "This is a special moment for all of us, I have been waiting a long time and today I know what it feels like to be winning. "We keep talking about being positive, and we executed our plans really well and that's the reason I'm standing here today." DC captain Meg Lanning admitted her team didn't have enough on the board after putting up a below-par show with the bat. "We would have loved to win but full credit to MI. They deserve it but full credit to our group's efforts. We didn't bat at our best but this competition has shown you can keep going till the end, and then you never know," said Lanning, who scored 345 runs, the most by any batter in the tournament. "Very good effort from the bowlers. We did well in the first 10 overs, got early wickets but Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt took the game away, they batted very well." Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was awarded Player of the Match, said it was "very special" to be able to take the team home. "Glad I was able to stick it out when the pressure was on. I was trying to get quite tough and Harman and Melie took the pressure off me. I knew if I stayed till the end we'd get through. "We gave away too many in the final 3-4 overs, but it made the game interesting. (Winning the trophy) It means everything, coming together with a special group of girls with the Mumbai Indians, really special moment." Another MI player Hayley Matthews, who was named the Most Valuable Player for scoring 271 runs and snapping 16 wickets, said she was happy to contribute to the team with both bat and ball. "I'm continously trying to improve and the conditions help my off-spin. Important to take back the award but more happy to win with Mumbai Indians." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 March,2023 10:31 AM IST | Mumbai | PTI
WPL 2023: Oh MI Champs, you made history!
It was as if the windy conditions at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday night put wind in the Mumbai Indians’ (MI) sails as they conquered Delhi Capitals (DC) by seven wickets in a thrilling Women’s Premier League (WPL) final. MI pacer Issy Wong (3-42) set the tone for her team with some swinging deliveries and later, a 72-run stand between Nat Sciver-Brunt (60 not out in 55 balls) and MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (37 off 39 balls, 5x4) helped MI triumph. In a thrilling climax, MI needed 21 runs off the last 12 balls. Thanks to Sciver-Brunt they secured victory with three balls to spare. Chasing DC’s 131-9, MI had a cautious start, before losing openers Hayley Matthews (13) and Yastika Bhatia (4) early. By the end of the Powerplay, the Harmanpreet-led Mumbai had scored 27-2 with Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet on six and two respectively. Powerplay factor At the same stage, DC were 38-3. Both Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet played sensible knocks. At the half-way mark, MI were 51-2, needing another 81 off 60 balls. On the eve of the final on Saturday, Harmanpreet had said that her counterpart in the Delhi team—experienced Australian captain Meg Lanning—is known for leading from the front. But actually on Sunday, the players who shouldered the responsibility perfectly were Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet. The way both countered Jonassen and other spinners with sweep shots was simply amazing. MI’s Hayley Matthews (right) and Amelia Kerr celebrate a DC wicket yesterday MI lost their second wicket at 23 in the fourth over, but Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt rotated the strike well and stitched a 72-run stand off 74. Sciver-Brunt smashed seven fours. DC’s left-arm spinners Radha Yadav and Jess Jonassen claimed a wicket each. Earlier, opting to bat, DC had a tough time as they lost their two top batters in the second over. Opener Shafali Verma (four-ball 11) welcomed MI’s Wong with a six followed by a four. However, Wong dismissed Verma on the third ball—a swinging delivery—through point fielder Amelia Kerr. In-form one-drop batter Alice Capsey (0) failed to counter Wong’s swinging delivery and offered an easy catch to Amanjot Kaur at short cover. Wong gets it right Harmanpreet brought back Wong in the fifth over and she conceded 14 but, claimed two wickets. The pacer didn’t disappoint her skipper and with yet another swinging delivery dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues (nine). Mumbai-born Rodrigues smashed two fours earlier, but failed to read Wong this time and point fielder Matthews took an easy catch. For DC, the only hope was their captain Lanning, who scored a 29-ball 35 with the help of five fours. However, a brilliant fielding effort from Amanjot and some quick reaction by wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia resulted in Lanning’s run out. Also read: 'Players did not fix the boundary rope': Harmanpreet Kaur gives fitting reply A splendid bowling partnership from two spinners—offie Matthews (4-2-5-3) and leg-spinner Kerr (4-0-18-2) made a huge difference as they dismantled DC’s batting line. Thanks to No. 8 batter Shikha Pandey (17-ball 27 not out) and No. 11 Radha Yadav (12-ball 27 not out) DC managed to post 131-9 in their allotted 20 overs. Wong, who registered the first hat trick of the WPL in the Eliminator against UP Warriorz at DY Patil Stadium on Friday, returned to the attack in the 19th over. However, she conceded 20 runs with Pandey hitting a six and two fours. Yadav, who smashed two sixes off pacer Nat Sciver-Brunt’s (0-37) in the last over of the innings, extracted 16 runs from the over. Pandey and Yadav shared an unbeaten 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket in just 24 balls. Brief scoresDC 131-9 in 20 overs (M Lanning 35, R Yadav 27*, S Pandey 27*; H Matthews 3-5, I Wong 3-42, A Kerr 2-18) lost to MI 134-3 in 19.3 overs (N Sciver-Brunt 60*, H Kaur 37; R Yadav 1-24) by 7 wickets
27 March,2023 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
WPL 2023 Final: Kaur & Co. script history, beat Delhi to win inaugural title
Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the final to lift the inaugural Women's Premier League trophy here on Sunday. MI first restricted DC to 131 for 9 and then returned to overhaul the target with three balls to spare. Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed an unbeaten 55-ball 60, while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur made a 39-ball 37 as MI reached 134 for 3 in 19.3 overs. Earlier, skipper Meg Lanning (35 off 29 balls) was the top-scorer for DC after she won the toss and elected to bat at the Brabourne stadium here. Shafali Verma (11) and Marizanne Kapp (18) also reached double figures but couldn't capitalise on as DC were looking down the barrel at 79 for 9 in 16 overs. Also Read: DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final highlights: Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals to bag inaugural WPL title Shikha Pandey (27 not out) and Radha Yadav (27 not out) then added 52 runs off just 24 balls to take DC to a competitive score. Hayley Matthews returned with incredible figures of 4-2-5-3, while Issy Wong (3/42) continued her sensational run, claiming three more wickets and Melie Kerr (2/18) was the other wicket taker for MI. Brief Score: Delhi Capitals: 131 for 9 in 20 overs (Meg Lanning 35; Hayley Matthews 3/5, Issy Wong 3/42). Mumbai Indians: 134 for 3 in 19.3 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 60 not out, Harmanpreet kaur 37; Radha Yadav 1/24). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 March,2023 10:51 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
DC vs MI highlights: Mumbai Indians beat Delhi to bag inaugural WPL title
Title favourites Mumbai Indians will aim to cap their stupendous Women's Premier League (WPL) season by overcoming a rampant Meg Lanning side in the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament on Sunday. However, the runs seem to have dried up from the willow of their talismanic captain Harmanpreet Kaur which will be a concern for the side heading into the summit clash. Also Read: MI vs DC, WPL Final: Rampant Delhi Capitals seek to stop invincible Mumbai Indians Surprisingly enough, form has deserted the Indian skipper after three blistering half-centuries earlier on in the tournament. Not only that, Mumbai's top-order failure laid bare once again in the all-important Eliminator and had it not been for Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 72 against UP Warriorz on Friday, the script of the tournament could have been different today. With Kaur scoring not more than 14 runs in the Eliminator, things could have gone downhill for the team, but luckily Sciver-Brunt made the most of the dropped catch to make a mockery of the Warriorz bowling. DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Dream11 Prediction Wicket-keeper: Yastika Bhatia Batters: Harmanpreet Kaur, Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues All-rounders: Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt (vc), Marizanne Kapp (c), Alice Capsey, Amelia Kerr Bowlers: Shikha Pandey, Issy Wong DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Pitch Report Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium is known to favour batting with very little help for the bowlers. The average first innings score here is 157 but can go up to almost 170 in this tournament with teams batting second winning six of ten games in WPL 2023 here. DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Complete Squads Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning(capt.), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Jasia Akhtar, Laura Harris, Tara Norris, Minnu Mani, Aparna Mondal, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(capt.), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon, Dhara Gujjar, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Predicted Playing XIs tonight Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (capt.), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Jess Jonassen/Tara Norris, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Toss update Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning wins toss, opts to bat against Mumbai Indians. DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Confirmed Playing XIs Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning(c), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Minnu Mani Mumbai Indians: Yastika Bhatia(w), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: A brief overview While MI decided to go with the same playing XI, DC brought in Minnu Mani for Poonam Yadav. DC had qualified directly for the final after topping the league stage points table, while MI made it to the summit clash after beating UP Warriorz in the eliminator on Friday. Follow all the live updates below. 10:40 PM: Mumbai Indians win by 7 wickets. The first WPL champions are here! 10:36 PM: 127/3 after 19 overs Excellent spell from Shikha Pandey as only 5 runs came off the 18th over. The required run rate is 10.5 and this match can go either way from here. Mumbai Indians have the advantage of having 7 wickets in hand 10:30 PM: 111/3 in 18.3 overs This has turned out to be a neck-to-neck final. 16 runs off 10 balls to win, will Delhi be able to outrun Mumbai in the last two overs? 10:25 PM: 99/3 in 16.2 overs That's a wicket! Massive blow to Mumbai. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur run out at a crucial stage of the match, could this be a turning point? 10:20 PM: 95/2 after 16 overs Kaur is in no mood to bow down to the challenge as she hits a fine boundary that sees 9 runs come off Jess Jonassen’s over. Mumbai have certainly strengthened their grip in the match, but the NRR pressure isn't going anywhere. Just 11 runs came off the last two overs as Delhi look very much alive in the game but they must pick wickets to tighten their grip. The required run rate is now 9 which is very much gettable in the last five overs. Fingers crossed! 10:12 PM: 81/2 after 14 overs Mumbai bounce back fiercely with Kaur and Sciver-Brunt on the field. Only 57 runs required off 43 balls. Jess Jonassen and Alice Capsey continue the attack for Delhi. 10:00 PM: 71/2 after 12 overs Mumbai have come to steady their ship with captain Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt taking the charge of a disappointing top-order display. Delhi, on the other hand, have kept things tight with Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav at the moment. 9:50 PM: 50/2 after 10 overs The pressure is far from receding. Only nine runs have come off the last two overs and required run rate is two times higher than the current rate. Mumbai could lose whatever little grip they have on the final if they don't build a steady partnership here. 9:30 PM: 25/2 after 5 overs If Bhatia's wicket wasn't enough, Mumbai Indians dealt another blow as the dangerous Hayley Matthews falls prey to Jonassen. Matthews drove it mid-on but found a fielder in Arundhati Reddy. Mumbai Indians openers are now back in the hut. 9:20 PM: 13/1 in 1.3 overs Mumbai lose Yastika Bhatia for 4 off 3, caught by Alice Capsey bowled by Radha Yadav. Some momentum for Delhi Capitals to pile the pressure back on to Mumbai Indians. However, Hayley Matthews is the wicket they should look for now. 9:00 PM: 131/9 after 20 overs Both Radha Yadav and Shikha Pandey are trying their best to add as many runs as possible to the scoreboard after the top-order let down the side tonight. The Yadav-Pandey partnership is slowly steadying the ship, with 30 runs coming off just 15 balls so far. 8:54 PM: 115/9 after 19 overs Kaur and Co. have put Delhi out of the equation with a flurry of wickets tonight, much to everyone's surprise. Matthews wrecks DC lower-order, as the competition appears one-sided. After getting rid of Jess Jonassen, she returns to take down Minnu Mani (1) and Taniya Bhatia (0) in the same over. Hats off! 8:40 PM: 79/9 after 16 overs This is shaping to be a lowest scoring game in the tournament. None could have thought Delhi would falter so badly tonight. Lanning and Kapp tried to rebuild in whatever little ways they could, but in vain. 8:25 PM: 77/7 after 14 overs Mumbai is all over Delhi batting line-up as they go seven down at the moment. Hayley Matthews takes her second wicket of the night, Jonassen is caught and bowled right after Arundhati Reddy got out on a duck against Melie Kerr. 8:20 PM: 75/6 after 13 overs Captain Lanning alongside Kapp are in the middle trying to steady the innings with only 10 overs remaining. Delhi have gathered themselves again and now look to counter attack. Mumbai searching for a wicket to put the pressure back on the batters. 8:10 PM: 69/3 after 10 overs Meg Lanning is fighting a lone battle after losing three partners and all the reviews. She struck a couple of boundaries to Amelia Kerr and is keeping the scoreboard ticking. Not a start Lanning expected. 7:56 PM: 48/3 after 7 overs Just when the stakes are high, Issy Wong delivers. She picks her third wicket tonight off a full toss. Jemimah Rodrigues is the latest to depart with Delih reeling at 38/3. 7:42 PM: 16/2 after 2 overs Wicket after wicket! Shafali Verma hits back-to-back boundaries then gets out to a full toss. DC reviewed, third umpire gave it out. Meg & Shafali were clearly not happy with the decision. Some argue it is a no ball. Wong has the same delivery for Alice Capsey. Two full tosses, two wickets after two boundaries were scored off the first two balls. 7:40 PM: 12/0 after 1 over Delhi makes a cautious start in the big final, with two very dangerous batters on field at the moment. Just two runs off the first over. Verma seems to be pressing the accelerator slowly but carefully. 7:30 PM: Match begins! Skipper Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma walk in to bat, as Harmanpreet Kaur deploys Nat Sciver-Brunt to open proceedings for Mumbai in the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament.
26 March,2023 10:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final Dream11 Prediction: Pitch report, playing XI, & more
Title favourites Mumbai Indians will aim to cap their stupendous Women's Premier League (WPL) season by overcoming a rampant Meg Lanning side in the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament on Sunday. Delhi and Mumbai have registered comprehensive wins against each other in the group stage and finished with identical 12 points, with only the net run rate separating them at the top of the table. Mumbai Indians stamped their authority first by thrashing Delhi by nine wickets, with the latter returning the favour after scoring an identical win. Mumbai boast of an excellent track record at Brabourne stadium, having won all three games so far, while Delhi have two wins and a loss at the venue. Also Read: MI vs DC, WPL Final: Rampant Delhi Capitals seek to stop invincible Mumbai Indians Surprisingly enough, form has deserted the Indian skipper after three blistering half-centuries earlier on in the tournament. Not only that, Mumbai's top-order failure laid bare once again in the all-important Eliminator and had it not been for Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 72 against UP Warriorz on Friday, the script of the tournament could have been different today. With Kaur scoring not more than 14 runs in the Eliminator, things could have gone downhill for the team, but luckily Sciver-Brunt made the most of the dropped catch to make a mockery of the Warriorz bowling. On the other hand, Australian stalwart Meg Lanning will look to exploit Harmanpreet's poor run with the bat in the most effective manner, though playing in front of a partisan crowd at the Brabourne could be an uphill task. Delhi, after starting sedately, gradually surged up the tally and ended up displacing Mumbai Indians at the top, thanks mainly to the performance of the skipper herself and all-rounder Marizanne Kapp. DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Dream11 Prediction Wicket-keeper: Yastika Bhatia Batters: Harmanpreet Kaur, Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues All-rounders: Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt (vc), Marizanne Kapp (c), Alice Capsey, Amelia Kerr Bowlers: Shikha Pandey, Issy Wong DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Pitch Report Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium is known to favour batting with very little help for the bowlers. The average first innings score here is 157 but can go up to almost 170 in this tournament with teams batting second winning six of ten games in WPL 2023 here. DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Complete Squads Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning(capt.), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Jasia Akhtar, Laura Harris, Tara Norris, Minnu Mani, Aparna Mondal, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(capt.), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon, Dhara Gujjar, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala DC vs MI, WPL 2023 Final: Predicted Playing XIs tonight Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (capt.), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Jess Jonassen/Tara Norris, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque Match begins at 7:30 PM IST.
26 March,2023 06:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent