Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore are set to lock horns at Shri Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, in match no. 13 of the ongoing 02 edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The game is slated for the 6th of March, 2024, at 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Four games into the tournament and the Giants continue to hunt for their maiden win this season, while the Royals, who kicked off with consecutive wins, got back to winning ways in their most recent game after suffering two back-to-back defeats.
Squads:
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
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 Sobhana, Ellyse Perry*, Simran Dil Bahadur, Disha Kasat, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sophie Devine*
Players to watch out:
Dayalan Hemalatha
The 29-year-old top-order batter, with an average of 30.2 and a strike rate of 157.29, accumulated 151 runs from 8 outings. Dayalan was in notable form ahead of the tournament, and while she hasn’t had the opportunity to bat enough this WPL, she scored a solid 25-ball 31* against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. She is a good player of spin, and it’ll be hoped she steps up for the team.
Ashleigh Gardner
The 26-year-old all-rounder in the 2023 WPL edition amassed 204 runs while also bagging 10 wickets from 8 appearances. Ashleigh had a quiet start to her ongoing WPL campaign but returned to form, scoring 30 and 40 in her previous couple of games while also registering bowling figures of 2/37 in her most recent game. The team will count on her for all-round efforts.
Sophie Molineux
The 26-year-old all-rounder made her WPL debut with the Challengers this season, scalping 6 wickets, including the best of 3/26, from 5 outings, while she hasn’t yet delivered with the bat. In the lead-up to the tournament, Sophie was in outstanding form with both bat and ball and while she has continued to be rewarding with the ball, it’ll be hoped she gets back amongst runs.
Asha Sobhana
The 32-year-old leg-spinner had a notable season last summer, where she picked up 5 wickets from as many WPL games. This season, Asha kicked off her campaign with a five-fer (5/22) against UP Warriorz, and following 4 straight wicketless games, she returned amongst wickets (2/16) against UP Warriorz. With the Delhi wicket favorable for spin, it’ll be hoped she leads the tally.
Pitch:
The 22-yard strip at Shri Arun Jaitley Stadium is relatively balanced with an average score in the 140s. While conditions are conducive for batting, the wicket also offers assistance to bowlers, especially the spinners, who can change the course of the game.
Weather:
The conditions in Delhi are expected to be pleasant for cricket, with no anticipated rain interruptions, despite cloudy overhead. The temperature will be around 18°C, with light winds, and humidity at 39%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Beth Mooney, Smriti Mandhana, Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Dayalan Hemalatha, Kathryn Bryce, Tanuja Kanwar, Mannat Kashyap
Match details:
Date – March 6, 2024
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – Shri Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on Jio Cinema and telecasted on Sports18.
