Predictions for the Women's Premier League

Indian summers are all about the IPL. Well, not anymore. With the inaugural WPL starting on 4th March, Indian summers, in a few years, may be about both men’s and women’s cricket. The Women’s Premier League is the next biggest thing in Indian cricket. We all know the positives of the IPL – handling clutch situations, international teammates and fierce competition, all in your own backyard, will be a huge opportunity for Indian domestic players. With three familiar franchises and two new ones, this edition of the WPL promises to be an exciting event.

Now, what do we do before big cricket tournaments? Analyse the squads, of course. An important detail to note here is that five foreigners can be picked in the playing XI. The tournament is being played completely in Mumbai with many back-to-back games. Though these stadiums are known to favour the pacers, repeated use of the pitches will lend an edge to spin. With those titbits in mind, let’s dive right in!

(Note: I might not be familiar with many of the domestic players and so, will not be commenting on them. However, I think they will be the difference between victory and defeat.)

DELHI CAPITALS

Squad: Meg Lanning (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Marizanne Kapp, Titas Sadhu, Alice Capsey, Tara Norris, Laura Harris, Jasia Akhtar, Minnu Mani, Taniya Bhatia, Jess Jonassen, Sneha Deepthi, Poonam Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Aparna Mondal

The first thing you notice in this team is that it is being led by the most successful cricket captain of all time – Meg Lanning. Moreover, by recruiting young players like Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma and Alice Capsey, they are building a team for the future. Taniya Bhatia, the potential wicketkeeper, and Marizanne Kapp, a star all-rounder, complete the list of bona fide batters. DC are extremely experienced in the spin department with the likes of Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav and Jess Jonassen. The star pacers include Shikha Pandey and Arundhati Reddy. A very interesting point to note is that this is the only team where even the layman can pick a competent side as there are many recognisable names in the squad. Given Lanning’s preference for depth in both batting and bowling, it will be interesting to see how she builds her XI to be a match-winning side.

GUJARAT GIANTS

Squad: Beth Mooney (C), Ashleigh Gardner, Sophia Dunkley, Annabel Sutherland, Harleen Deol, Kim Garth, Sneh Rana, S Meghana, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi, D Hemalatha, Tanuja Kanwer, Monica Patel, Sushma Verma, Hurley Gala, Ashwani Kumari, Parunika Sisodia, Shabnam MD

Led by the most successful batter of the WBBL who is a certified big match player, Gujarat Giants have been named the dark horses of the tournament. GG are filled with Aussie superstars, including their captain Beth Mooney, player of the T20 World Cup, Ashleigh Gardner, spinner Georgia Wareham and all-rounder Annabel Sutherland. However, the Indian core doesn’t seem to be that strong. Though Sneh Rana has been a match-winner off late and Harleen Deol has stunned audiences worldwide with her impeccable fielding skills, none of them have much international experience. It is up to the domestic talent to make their mark during the tournament. None of the active keepers from international sides has made the cut either so the skipper may take up this responsibility as well. The team does have a few good options to cover all bases but they are definitely not starting as favourites.

MUMBAI INDIANS

Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia, Heather Graham, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Dhara Gujjar, Shaika Ishaque, Hayley Matthews, Chloe Tryon, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala, Sonam Yadav, Jintimani Kalita, Neelam Bisht

The most successful franchise in cricket will be led by the Indian captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, who has won three out of the four editions in the Women’s T20 Challenge. MI also have two of the best all-rounders going around in the women’s game in their squad – Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr. Hayley Matthews and Issy Wong are the other extremely promising players picked by them. On the Indian front, they have a fast bowler, Pooja Vastrakar and a keeper batter, Yastika Bhatia. Though most of the local Indian talent hasn’t had a lot of experience, knowing MI, it is safe to assume that they have done their research to pick a team that will help them continue their legacy. Fans have to wait and watch to see if this team can achieve the desired balance and replicate the success of the men’s side.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE

Squad: Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Thakur, Richa Ghosh, Erin Burns, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Shobana, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk, Preeti Bose, Poonam Khemnar, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt, Sahana Powar

The fan favourites for the tournament and another franchise that is mimicking the strategy of its male counterpart, RCB went all guns blazing in the auction. Filled with stalwarts such as Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry and Sophie Devine, who remind fans of another iconic RCB trio, this team seems to be the strongest on paper. Add Heather Knight and Dane van Niekerk to the mix and the top order is filled only with talent and experience. However, barring Richa Ghosh, who will also keep, there are no big names in the middle order. There are two stand-out pacers in Renuka Thakur and Meghan Schutt, but the squad doesn’t have an experienced spinner unless you count part-timers. Moreover, given the recent form of a lot of these players and their overlapping skill sets, one of the international captains might be benched for the entire season. RCB need to pull up their socks and play their best if they want to end their rotten streak.

UP WARRIORZ

Squad: Alyssa Healy (C), Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Tahlia McGrath, Shabnim Ismail, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Parashvi Chopra, Shweta Sehrawat, S Yashasri, Kiran Navigre, Grace Harris, Devika Vaidya, Lauren Bell, Laxmi Yadav, Simran Sahikh

Forget that the captain is Alyssa Healy, one of the best wicketkeeper batters in the game. Look at the spin department which simply flaunts its wicket-taking ability. Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad will surely cast a web around opposition batters. Even the pace bowling consists of Shabnim Ismail, one of the fastest bowlers ever. Tahlia McGrath is a world-class all-rounder and will be able to contribute equally with bat and ball. The opening combination of Healy and Shweta Sehrawat is an exciting one that will definitely give the team a quick start in the powerplay. There are a couple of other U19 players in the squad as well. The middle order might be the weakness of this side as they have covered most other bases. Once again, it is up to the domestic talent to plug the gaps and take this team across the line.