Lights, camera, wickets! The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has not only set the stage ablaze with incredible batting performances and breathtaking catches but has also witnessed some jaw-dropping spells of bowling that have changed the course of matches in the league’s short but eventful history. From fiery spells by the likes of Ellyse Perry to mesmerizing spin from promising stars like Asha Sobhana, the WPL has been a breeding ground for exceptional bowling performances.
As we gear up for the 3rd edition of the WPL, starting on February 14th, let’s take a trip down memory lane and relive the top 5 best bowling spells that have defined the tournament so far. These spells not only showcased individual brilliance but also played a pivotal role in shaping the fortunes of their respective teams.
Best Bowling spells in the Women’s Premier League:
Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bengaluru):
The veteran Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry was secured by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the inaugural edition of the WPL. She turned out to be the top performer with the bat for her side ending the tournament as the leading run-scorer in the 2nd edition in 2024. She also contributed with the ball for her side and though didn’t have much success with the ball, she had one dream day and went on to etch her name into the history books on 12th March 2024.
She single-handedly destroyed the defending champions of the inaugural edition, Mumbai Indians, with her breath-taking spell of 4-0-15-6 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, mesmerizing everyone with her ability to make the ball talk, courtesy of her impeccable consistency line and length. Her scalps included some iconic names Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Melie Kerr, alongside Amanjot Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, and Pooja Vastrakar to decorate her historic spell. Her spell in the 2nd edition of the tournament still stands as the best-ever spell in the history of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
She also received the Player of the Match for her exceptional match-defining spell, while also playing a crucial hand (40* off 38 balls) with the bat to guide her side over the line. She is likely to be seen back in action for the Smriti Mandhana-led side at some point in the upcoming 3rd edition of the tournament.
Marizanne Kapp (Delhi Capitals):
The veteran South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp was roped in by Delhi Capitals in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023. She was instrumental in helping the Capitals provide the ideal start with the ball for her side in the powerplays. Her best outing with the ball for her franchise came on 11th March 2023 against the Gujarat Giants, when she redefined the art of powerplay bowling, breaking the back of the Sneh Rana-led side inside the powerplay with her game-changing spell of 4-0-15-5 at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.
Her scalps included the likes of Laura Wolvaardt, Ashleigh Gardner, and Harleen Deol, alongside Sabbhineni Meghana and Sushma Verma in her spell. She was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational spell with the ball. She will be back in action for the Capitals in the upcoming 3rd edition of the tournament as she was retained by the franchise before the mini auction.
Asha Sobhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru):
The veteran 33-year-old leg-spinner from Trivandrum, Kerala, a typical late bloomer as she was spotted by the RCB management and as a result, secured her services in the inaugural edition. After fewer opportunities in the inaugural edition, she got her share of opportunities, and as a result, her talent blossomed in the 2nd edition as she went on to become the joint 2nd highest wicket-taker with the ball for her side and as well as in the tournament with 12 wickets at an impressive average of 15.41 and an economy of 7.11 in 10 innings with the ball for her side.
Her best display with the ball for her side came when she weaved her spin magic with a variety of her skillful weapons in her armory leaving the UP Warriorz batters spell-bound of her street smarts with her canny leg spin on 24th February 2024, returning with impressive match figures of 4-0-22-5 at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, letting the home crowd take note of her talent.
She was also awarded the Player of the Match for her match-defining spell, her scalps including the likes of Dinesh Vrinda, Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Grace Harris, and Kiran Navgire, leaving a decisive impact on the outcome of the game. She will wear the RCB jersey again and will continue to ply her trade for the Smriti Mandhana-led side in the upcoming 3rd edition of the tournament from 14th February 2025.
Tara Norris (Delhi Capitals):
The young 26-year-old left-arm pacer hailing from an associate nation, the United States of America, was roped in by Delhi Capitals in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023. She was the flag barrier for the USA displaying her skills on the big stage, a tournament like WPL. She wasted no time in showcasing her impressive skills with the ball and putting her country’s name on the cricketing map, especially at the franchise level.
On her debut game which was also the first clash for the Delhi Capitals in the history of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), she made the world take the back seat and take note of her talent, rattling the RCB batting lineup with super impressive consistency in line and length. Her sensational spell of 4-0-29-5 pushed the opposition on the back foot in a massive run chase. She also became the first bowler to register a maiden five-wicket haul in the history of the Women’s Premier League in only the 2nd game of the tournament’s inaugural edition.
She was also awarded the Player of the Match for her impressive spell, playing an instrumental role in helping her side seal a massive 60-run victory. Her scalps included a few big names of the likes of Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, and Disha Kasat. She went unsold in the recent mini auction for the upcoming 3rd edition of the tournament.
Kim Garth (Gujarat Giants):
The former Irish international Kim Garth shifted bases to Australia and debuted for the latter in 2022. She wasn’t originally picked in any of the five squads but was a replacement signing for the destructive Caribbean all-rounder Deandra Dottin in Gujarat Giants.
She brought a ray of new hope as she immediately impressed on her WPL debut against the UP Warriorz when she returned with match figures of 4-0-36-5 in her spell on 5th March 2023 in the 3rd game of the inaugural edition of the tournament at the DY Patil Stadium. However, it wasn’t enough for her side to seal the victory. She wasn’t a part of the 2nd edition of the tournament but is set to feature in the upcoming 3rd edition of the competition for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a replacement signing for Kate Cross.
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