Women's Premier League '23 marks a New Chapter for Women's Cricket in India


Women's Premier League '23 marks a New Chapter for Women's Cricket in India

The Women's Premier League 2023 has taken the cricketing world by storm with its action packed matches and incredible talent on display. The inaugural season, which began on March 4, has featured five teams battling it out for glory, and the games have been taking place at DY Patil Sports Academy and Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.The league features five teams, each with a maximum of six foreign players and a squad of 18 players. The teams have been playing in a double round format, with one knockout stage game and followed by the final.

Highlights of the Tournaments

One of the highlights of the tournament has been the race for the top spot on the points table. The Delhi Capitals recently snatched the first position from the Mumbai Indians with a dominant victory in their clash. The Capitals chased down a target of 110 runs with nine wickets in hand, displaying dominance in every department. With this win, they have kept the race for the final open, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the tournament unfolds.Another exciting moment in the tournament came when UP Warriorz sealed their spot in the playoffs with a thrilling victory over the Gujarat Giants. Chasing a target of 179, Warriorz were struggling at 39/3 before their overseas contingent came to their rescue. Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath put up a partnership of 78 runs in 53 balls, before Sophie Ecclestone took them over the finish line.

However, the tournament has not been without its controversies. West Indies star all rounder Deandra Dottin, who was signed by the Gujarat Giants for Rs 60 Lakh, released an official statement on Twitter, revealing the "bewildering reasoning" behind her exclusion from the teams squad.

As the tournament nears its business end, the playoff scenarios are starting to take shape. Mumbai Indians the first team to reach the playoffs with five consecutive wins were to secure direct passage into the final. However their recent loss to UP Warriorz has complicated matters for them and the race for the top spot is still wide open.

Ongoing Events of the Tournaments

MI had a strong start to the tournament, winning their first five matches in a row. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Mumbai based franchise looked set to finish as table toppers.  However, they suffered their first loss of the season to UP Warriorz (UPW) in their sixth match, going down by five wickets. They bounced back with a win against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) but failed to beat them convincingly, winning by just four wickets.

On the other hand, Delhi Capitals also had a good start to the tournament, winning four of their first five games. Their only loss came against MI in their second match. Like MI, they also lost their sixth match to Gujarat Giants (GG), going down by 11 runs. However, they bounced back strongly in their last league match, beating UPW by five wickets and securing their place in the final.

The final league fixture of WPL 2023 saw MI take on RCB, while DC faced UPW. MI needed a convincing win over RCB and then hope that Delhi either lost to UPW or finished with a lower net run rate even if they won. However, they failed to beat RCB convincingly, winning by just four wickets. In the other game, DC chased down a target of 139 in just 17.5 over’s to secure their place in the final.

The final points table saw both MI and DC finish with 12 points each. However  DC reached the final on the basis of having a superior net run rate (+1.856) as compared to MI's run rate of (+1.711). It was a disappointing end for MI, who had dominated the league stage and looked set to finish as table toppers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Events of the League

The final of WPL 2023 will see Delhi Capitals take on the second placed team on March 25. Delhi will go into the final as the favourites, having beaten MI in their previous meeting. Led by Meg Lanning, the Delhi based franchise has a strong batting line up with the likes of Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, and Lanning herself. They also have a good bowling attack, with the likes of Marizanne Kapp, Shikha Pandey, and Jess Jonassen.

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 is all set to witness an exciting Eliminator clash between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the UP Warriorz (UPW) on March 25th, followed by the grand finale between the winner of the Eliminator and the Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 27th. The DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai will host both the matches.

Mumbai Indians, who started the tournament as strong faves, finished second in the points table with 12 points from eight matches. Their performance in the league stage was a mixed bag, with some dominating victories and some close defeats. However, they will be confident of putting up a strong show in the Eliminator and making it to the final.

On the other hand, the UP Warriorz finished fourth in the points table, with six points from eight matches. While their performance in the league stage was not very impressive, they will be determined to make the most of the opportunity and cause an upset against Mumbai.

Both the teams have some star players who can turn the game on their own. For Mumbai, players like Amelia Kerr, Yastika Bhatia, and Harmanpreet Kaur will be key, while the UPW will be banking on their skipper Alyssa Healy.

The WPL 2023 final, which will be played on March 27th, will see the Delhi Capitals take on the winner of the Eliminator.

Delhi Capitals have a well rounded squad with some of the best players in the world. The likes of Meg Lanning, Shikha Pandey, Alice Capsey, and Marizanne Kapp have been in great form and will be looking to lead their team to the title.

The winner of the Eliminator will have a tough task ahead of them as they will be up against a strong Delhi Capitals team. However, T20 cricket is a game of uncertainties, and anything can happen on the day of the final.

All in all, the WPL 2023 has been a highly entertaining tournament so far, and the fans can expect some nail biting action in the upcoming Eliminator and final.

Conclusion

The Women's Premier League 2023 has delivered on its promise of fast paced action and quality cricket, and the fans have been treated to some incredible performances from some of the world's best players. The Women's Premier League 2023 has already established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of cricket, and it is only set to get better in the coming years.

With the league expected to continue for the next few years, the future of women's cricket in India looks bright. The success of the WPL bodes well for the future of women's cricket in India, it is likely to provide more opportunities for young female cricketers to showcase their skills and make a name for them in the sport.

As the league grows in popularity and importance, it could also lead to an increase in the number of women's cricket matches being televised and broadcasted, providing greater visibility and recognition to the sport. This could potentially inspire more girls and young women to take up cricket and pursue it as a career.

In conclusion, the Women's Premier League has provided a platform for some of the world's best female cricketers to showcase their talents and has ignited the passion of fans for women's cricket in India. The future of women's cricket in India looks bright, and the potential for the sport to grow and become even more popular is immense.