The upcoming second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is scheduled to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on February 22. The eagerly anticipated match between defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) aims to provide a broader platform for emerging home-grown talents.
Indian Young Players Set to Shine
In the first edition which was held in Mumbai, foreign stars shone brightly, and this year, Indian players aim to share the spotlight as the tournament expands to multiple cities, with New Delhi as the additional host city. While DC’s skipper Meg Lanning, now retired from international cricket, claimed the Orange Cap last year as the highest run-scorer, the Purple Cap was awarded to Hayley Matthews of Mumbai for her 16 wickets. Amidst the dominance of overseas players, Indian cricketers faced challenges in maintaining consistency and making an impact last year. However, some young domestic talents are now looking forward to the WPL with genuine optimism.
Shreyanka Patil and Titas Sadhu's Journey to Success
Let's consider the case of Shreyanka Patil from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). During WPL 2023, she was a young cricketer filled with wonder, thrilled to be among some of the greatest names in women's cricket. Despite playing seven matches, the focus understandably remained on players like Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Devine. However, over the past 10 months, Patil has carved out her own place in the cricketing world. She earned her maiden caps for India in both Test and ODIs in December of last year, while also leaving her mark in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GWL).
In this interim, the 21-year-old has also enhanced her skills in power-hitting during the death overs. Another example is Titas Sadhu from DC. Despite not getting any game time while being in the squad previously, the West Bengal player has transformed this year. After making her debut for India in the Hangzhou Asian Games against Bangladesh, the 19-year-old has risen in prominence. Her impressive bowling figures of three wickets for just six runs in four overs played a crucial role in India's victory over Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final, where they defended a modest target of 117.
Sadhu's exceptional performance against Australia in Mumbai last month, where she claimed four wickets for just 17 runs, demonstrated that her previous success was not an isolated incident. This impressive showing has made it difficult for the Delhi management to ignore her claim for a spot in the starting eleven against Mumbai, or in subsequent matches.
Kerala's Rising Star in WPL and International Cricket
The DC also boast another talented player eager to make her mark in the WPL – Minnu Mani. Hailing from Kerala, Mani is the first player from her state to secure a WPL contract. Although her participation was limited to just three matches and two batting innings last year, Mani has since appeared in four WT20Is for India, showcasing her potential with her skilful off-break bowling.
While it's certain that Minnu's bowling skills will face a test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, she has a significant opportunity to defy the odds and leave a strong impression, adding momentum to her journey forward.
However, the tournament isn't just about top contenders; it also highlights the achievements of trailblazers. The performances of Harmanpreet Kaur, who must manage the high expectations placed on defending champions, and Mandhana, tasked with securing RCB's maiden title across both WPL and IPL, will be closely observed. The UP Warriorz duo of Alyssa Healy and Chamari Athapaththu also recognised as two of the finest women batters in the contemporary game, will be under scrutiny.
There's a tier of players such as Jemimah Rodrigues (Delhi) and Deepti Sharma (UP) who bring with them experience from the Hundred and Big Bash leagues (BBL). Despite their previous inability to make a significant impact in WPL 1, they are eager to create a new narrative and leave their mark in the upcoming tournament.
Therefore, there are existing reputations to uphold and opportunities to establish new ones, which could ignite the excitement surrounding women's cricket over the next two weeks.
Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals Teams
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Hayley Matthews, Humaira Kazi, Issy Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, S Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, Fatima Jaffer, Keerthana Balakrishnan.
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (Captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Harris, Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, Arundathi Reddy, Ashwani Kumari, Jess Jonassen, Marizanne Kapp, Sneha Deepthi, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Aparna Mondal, Taniyaa Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Titas Sadhu.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)
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