With each passing day, another season of the blockbuster Women’s Premier League is inching closer to reality. Teams are sharpening their preparations to unleash their best and are grouping to form a cohesive squad that sets the stage on fire.
As the inaugural fireworks go off on the 14th of February, fans will be seated with bated breath to follow some breathtaking and high-octane cricketing stuff. Hence, before the competition boils down to bat and ball, one superstar from each franchise represented their team and voiced their confidence in their squad.
In an exclusive conversation with Star Sports, Indian superstars expressed themselves and their strategic roadmap they plan to follow over the course of the tournament.
Mumbai Indians were stunned by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the previous edition and were denied a berth in the final with a marginal loss of 5 runs. The loss would’ve been a tough pill to swallow and sets up the intense rivalry.
“We’ll try to play like we played in the first season,” said a calm and composed Harmanpreet Kaur – highlighting the confidence she has instilled in the members of the team.
“As a cricketer, our main focus is to play well and help the team win. There is so much outside noise from the followers of the game, which is understandable. But when in centre, we do not focus on it and try to fight till the very end to win the cup. We don’t want to try anything extra or special and will try to stay in the present. The first season was incredible, but the second one was a bit challenging. We look to keep things simple and remember the moments that helped us to bag the cup,” said Mumbai Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
After qualifying for the playoffs in 2023 but enduring a disappointing season in 2024, UP Warriorz will look to turn things around and overcome the hurdles to claim the championship. With Lucknow set to host a few WPL matches, the home advantage could provide a significant boost for the UP squad, as passionate crowds rally behind them when they take the field.
Coming from a long injury break, Harleen Deol is now back in the mix for the Gujarat Giants. Led by new skipper Ashleigh Gardner, the team in Orange would love to erase the horrors of the last edition and sweep a memorable comeback to take the honours.
“It’s going to be really exciting as we’ll get to play in front of our home crowd too. I remember the scene at the Bangalore stadium last season and would love to have the same with our home crowds.”
Gujarat Giants finished last on the points table in 2024 with just 2 wins out of the 8 games they played. They’ll lock horns with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the curtain raiser of the tournament.
With a dream run for RCB in 2024, skipper Smriti Mandhana loves to play at a jam-packed Chinnaswamy stadium. “We all want to play some good cricket and try to do the simplest things correctly and not think too much of the future”.
No doubt the WPL has helped the youngsters to find their hidden spark but has been a big learning curve for the legends as well. With crazy love and following comes a fair share of criticism. That is fair too because the biggest stakeholders expect their stars to perform after being recognised with respect.
India’s premier Smriti Mandhana lost rhythm in a fast-paced T20 setup and found WPL to be her first and last resort. The left-hander even went winless for the first five games in the 2023 edition and price tag pressure was all but evident. Sport has always got a unique way of proving a point and vindicated that none can get bigger than the game. The 28-year-old rejuvenated and won laurels in 2024 being a skipper.
The charismatic Jemimah Rodrigues represented the runners-up Delhi Capitals and said, “This is T20 Cricket, and we can’t take any team lightly. The most important thing is to do what is in your control- prepare well- do the execution well. I can’t control the results of the match. I’ll leave it in greater hands but can assure you that the team is going to play good cricket”.
Having Meg Lanning, a seven-time world champion, as part of the team is Delhi’s greatest asset. Thanks to Lanning’s expertise and ability as captain, the team is set for another prosperous season. Along with their well-known skipper, the Capitals have a potent top order that blends international flair with Indian talent. The dynamic combination, which ensures consistency and power in the batting lineup would be one to watch out for in the upcoming season.
Harleen Deol picked Simran Shaikh as the player to watch out for from her group of talented cricketers. There have been a handful of cricketers who’ve not got the limelight, but the Indian batter believes that they will perform very well. The Challengers bagged leg skipper Prema Rawat for INR 1.2 crore in the 2025 auction and is backed by majestic skipper Mandhana.
The 2025 Women’s Premier League is expected to be bigger and better than ever before, with star-studded teams and a steadily expanding fan base. Numerous records will be shattered as teams prepare for the action on the field.
(Quotes sourced from Star Sports)
Loves all things female cricket
