It’ll be a face-off between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants in match no. 5 of the ongoing 02 edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. The game is scheduled for 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the 27th of February 2024.
In their respective season openers, while the Royals held their nerves to win a final-ball thriller against UP Warriorz, the Giants suffered a defeat at the hands of defending champions Mumbai Indians.
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bangalore – Smriti Mandhana (C), Ekta Bisht, Georgia Wareham*, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Molineux*, Shradda Pokharkar, Richa Ghosh, Kate Cross*, Nadine de Klerk*, Shubha Satheesh, Sabbhineni Meghana, Indrani Roy, Asha Shobana, Ellyse Perry*, Simran Dil Bahadur, Disha Kasat, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sophie Devine*
Gujarat Giants – Beth Mooney* (C), Phoebe Litchfield*, Lea Tahuhu*, Laura Wolvaardt*, Tanuja Kanwar, Mannat Kashyap, Trisha Poojitha, Meghna Singh, Veda Krishnamurthy, Kathryn Bryce*, Sayali Satghare, Dayalan Hemalatha, Shabnam Shakil, Tarannum Pathan, Priya Mishra, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner*, Sneh Rana
Players to watch out:
Richa Ghosh
The 20-year-old keeper-batter had a notable season last edition, accumulating 138 runs, striking at 135.29, from 7 WPL outings. In the lead-up to the WPL, besides success in domestic cricket, she registered scores of 23 and 34 against Australia in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Continuing her form, she notched up a 37-ball 62 and will be counted on to capitalize on this start.
Georgia Wareham
The 24-year-old all-rounder in T20Is, from 14 innings, striking at 145.00, has added 116 to the tally, while also picking 51 wickets from 48 outings. Georgia had a brief 2-game stint with the Giants last edition and on debut for the Royals, returned figures of 1/23 (3). She must be promoted in the batting order and can be assured of an all-round effort.
Harleen Deol
The 25-year-old all-rounder from 8 WPL appearances in the inaugural edition, averaging 28.85, amassed 202 runs, including the highest of 67, while also taking a wicket from her 3 innings. Harleen scored 289 from 11 T20 domestic outings in the lead-up to the tournament; however, she departed for 8 in the WPL opener. It’ll be hoped she steps up for the team.
Ashleigh Gardner
The 26-year-old all-rounder in the WPL last season, striking at 141.66, registered 204 runs, and averaging 25.5, bagged 10 wickets from 8 outings. Ashleigh was in fine form with both bat and ball in the lead-up to the WPL; however, in the WPL opener, while recording figures of 0/23 (4), she departed cheaply for 15. She’ll be backed to find form, delivering goods.
Pitch:
The surface at Chinnaswamy Stadium is favorable for batting, resulting in an average score of around 150. There’s enough in the wicket for bowlers, especially pacers, who can make significant contributions upfront, and as the game progresses; spinners can also expect some assistance.
Weather:
With partly cloudy skies and a low chance of rain, the conditions are ideal for cricket in Bangalore. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 25°C, with light winds and a humidity level of 54%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Beth Mooney, Richa Ghosh, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Phoebe Litchfield, Kathryn Bryce, Shreyanka Patil, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Asha Sobhana
Match details:
Date – February 27, 2024
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on Jio Cinema and telecasted on Sports18.