“Chamari, if she does come into our playing order, I think she will be in the top order.” skipper Alyssa Healy gives her verdict on Chamari Athapaththu’s role in the side for the upcoming edition of the WPL.
![Alyssa Healy hints on the opening combination for UP Warriorz.](https://femalecricket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Alyssa-Healy.jpg)
The UP Warriorz led by skipper Alyssa Healy will kickstart their campaign in the upcoming edition of the tournament on 24th February against RCB led by skipper Smriti Mandhana at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
They made it to the eliminator in the inaugural edition of the tournament courtesy of their top-three finish in the league stages of the season. The overseas contingent consisting of the likes of Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, and skipper Alyssa Healy played a crucial role with the bat, helping their side reach the knockout stages of the tournament. “I would say it will be myself and probably an Indian player that will open the batting initially. Chamari, if she does come into our playing order, I think she will be in the top order. We will have to wait and see how the season pans out.” Skipper Alyssa Healy speaks about starting with an Indian opening partner and gives her verdict on the Sri Lankan legend Chamari Athapaththu’s role in the side for the upcoming edition of the tournament.
The UP Warriorz had a solid core of overseas stars in the last season, however, the inclusion of Danni Wyatt, and Chamari Athapaththu has bolstered their overseas contingent ahead of the upcoming edition of the WPL. Both the new entrants are preferred top-order players. The think tank will have a problem of plenty to choose from especially at the top of the order to step on the field with a best playing 11. The likes of Grace Harris, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, and Chamari Athapaththu are the four overseas players to watch out for in the upcoming edition of the WPL.
“That’s going to be the challenging part of our season. We know about the six international cricketers we have at our disposal and what they can do for our side, probably balancing their contributions.” Skipper Alyssa Healy speaks about the challenges of finalizing the best playing combination for the upcoming 2nd edition of the Women’s Premier League.
RCB had a season to forget last time around, having suffered five straight losses to start their campaign and just managed to get a couple of victories under their belt. It will be an interesting battle to watch out for between these two teams. UP Warriorz will be keen to improve and go one step ahead in their hunt for the silverware.