Rosa Simkin (@rosatalksball) – 24/02/24
Date – 24/02/24
Time – 7:30pm (Local – GMT +5), 2:00pm (UK – GMT)
Location – M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Where to Watch – Sports18 Network (Local), Sky Sports Mix (UK)
My Prediction – UP Warriorz
My Tournament Guide – https://rosatalksball.com/2024/02/22/2024-womens-premier-league-everything-you-need-to-know/
With this years WPL well and truly underway after a high scoring thriller between the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru, we’re back again to see Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) take on the UP Warriorz, both seeking their first victory of 2024. The UP Warriorz made it as far as the eliminator last time round, but RCB struggled to find form, placing 4th of 5 at the conclusion of the group stage, winning just two games. Both sides will be hoping to bounce back and start their campaign on a high. Here is the latest news and my analysis prior to the showdown.
Order of Contents – Head to Head (Previous Battles), The Squads, England Selection Dilema, RCB (My thoughts, Squad News, 2023 Stats, 2024 Fixtures), UP Warriorz (My thoughts, Squad News, 2023 Stats, 2024 Fixtures), 2024 Current Standings.
Head to Head:
The two sides came together twice in the group stage last year, with each sides winning one each. Their first battle, back on the 8th of March saw an easy victory for the UP Warriorz, bowling RCB out for 138 in 19.3 overs and chasing it down in only 13 and with no wickets lost. Ellyse Perry was in the runs for RCB, scoring 52 off 39 balls and Sophie Ecclestone was in the wickets, ending with figures of 4/13 from 3.3 overs! Alyssa Healy and Devika Vaidya were responsible for Warriorz runs, Vaidya scoring 36 from 31 and Healy hitting big from the other end with 96 from 47 deliveries including 18 fours and 1 six!
The second time round roles were reversed, with RCB coming out on top. In a rather fluky manner they also bowled out UP Warriorz within 19.3 overs, restricting the side to 135 runs. Grace Harris scored the bulk of the runs for the side, with 46 from 32 and Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine and Sobhana Asha were devastating with ball taking three, two and two wickets respectively! The chase although slow was succesful for RCB reaching 136 in 18 overs to claim their first victory of the WPL season. Kanika Ahuja was the highest scorer, with 46 from 30 but it was Richa Ghosh who took her side over the line, with 32 from 31 balls. Deepti Sharma was in the wickets, taking two for the Warriorz side.
The Squads:
*OS indicates Overseas player*
UP Warriorz – Alyssa Healy (C & OS), Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris (OS), Kiran Navgire, Chamari Athapaththu (OS), Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone (OS), Tahlia McGrath (OS), Danielle Wyatt (OS), Vrinda Dinesh, Saima Thakor, Poonam Khenmar, Gouher Sultana
Royal Challengers Bangalore – Smriti Mandhana (C), Asha Sobhana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry (OS), Nadine de Klerk (OS), Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar*, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine (OS), Georgia Wareham (OS), Ekta Bisht, Kate Cross (OS), Shubha Sateesh, S Meghna, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux (OS)
*RCBs Kanika Ahuja was ruled out of the tournament due to injury, with Shraddha Pokharkar coming in to replace her*
England Selection Dilemma:
For the England players involved in this year’s tournament they have been provided with a huge dilemma. The ECB reached the decision that players who elected to play the entirety of WPL season 2 would not be available for selection for the first three T20 Internationals of England’s upcoming multi format series away in New Zealand.
England captain Heather Knight who was due to be wearing RCB colours and England pace bowler Lauren Bell, due to be representing UP Warriorz both dropped out of the tournament due to this but the remaining six ECB contracted players have not, meaning they will not put themselves forward for selection for those first three games. This has also effected England head coach, Jon Lewis who was due to be coaching the UP Warriorz for a second consecutive year, he will still be involved but will be leaving the WPL early to get to New Zealand for the first T20 International on the 19th of March, which is 2 days after the WPL final.
Sophie Ecclestone, Danni Wyatt and Kate Cross, all of which are involved in this match have elected to remain for the whole tournament, therefore missing the opening three games of the New Zealand series.
“Yeah, I mean, I would be lying if I said no,” Sciver-Brunt told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast, being asked if money led to her decision to not drop out of the tournament “Having obviously gone for that much in the first year, yeah, it certainly came into consideration. Hopefully this weigh-up of club versus country doesn’t happen again. I know we’ve see it happen with the men’s side of things and continue to happen for quite a while, and still will. Hopefully these clashes don’t happen in the future, which I guess will keep the importance of international cricket and keep that focus for everyone.” – Mumbai Indians Nat Sciver-Brunt on the selection dilema
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Royal Challengers Bangalore have a much changed squad after struggling in their first season, releasing seven players ( Dané Van Niekerk*, Erin Burns*, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt*, Poonam Khemnar, Preeti Bose, Sahana Pawar) and retaining 11 (Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry*, Heather Knight*, Indrani Roy, Kanika Ahuja, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine*, Smriti Mandhana.)
Since the auction and retention period however they have had two changes to their squad, with England captain Heather Knight dropping out due to the previously mentioned selection issues and 21-year-old Indian talent Kanika Ahuja dropping out through injury. South African Nadine de Klerk comes in to replace Knight, with Ahuja being replaced by Shraddha Pokharkar.
RCB also have the privilege of playing at home this time round, the first time being for today’s fixture. Last years tournament was held solely in Mumbai, but this year it is split between the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which will host the first 11 matches before moving to Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium for the remaining 9 group stage matches and the eliminator & final.
2023 Top Wicket Takers & Run Scorers:
Top 5 Run Scorers:
- Sophie Devine (New Zealand, 6th Overall) – 266 runs from 8 innings at an average of 33.25.
- Ellyse Perry (Australia, 7th Overall) – 254 runs from 8 innings at an average of 42.16.
- Smriti Mandhana (India, 21st Overall) – 149 runs from 8 innings at an average of 18.62.
- Richa Ghosh (India, 23rd Overall) – 138 runs from 7 innings at an average of 23.00.
- Heather Knight (England, 24th Overall) – 135 runs from 8 innings at an average of 22.5.
Top 5 Wicket Takers:
- Shreyanka Patil (India) – 6 Wickets from 117 balls at an average of 32.00 and an economy of 9.84.
- Sobhana Asha (India) – 5 Wickets from 102 balls at an average of 28.4 and an economy of 8.35.
- Heather Knight (England) – 4 Wickets from 42 balls at an average of 19.5 and an economy of 11.14.
- Ellyse Perry (Australia) – 4 Wickets from 140 balls at an average of 48.5 and an economy of 8.31.
- Megan Schutt (Australia) – 4 Wickets from 156 balls at an average of 55.0 and an economy of 8.46.
2024 Fixtures:
Saturday, February 24: Royal Challengers Bangalore v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Tuesday, February 27: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Giants (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Thursday, February 29: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Capitals (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Saturday, March 2: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Monday, March 4: Royal Challengers Bangalore v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Wednesday, March 6: Gujarat Giants v Royal Challengers Bangalore (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Sunday, March 10: Delhi Capitals v Royal Challengers Bangalore (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Tuesday, March 12: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
UP Warriorz
The UP Warriorz had a disappointing end to their 2023 campaign, falling to an embarrassing defeat against Mumbai Indians in the eliminator, which saw them all out for 110 in 17.4 overs chasing the 182 made by Mumbai and therefore they failed to reach the final. They’ll be hoping for a change of luck this time round with a fairly similar squad, releasing just Devika Vaidya, Shabnim Ismail (OS), Shivali Shinde and Simran Shaikh.
Their most noteable signing at this years auction was certainly England opening bat Danni Wyatt, who was devestated to miss out on a place in the tournament last year, after expressing her longheld desire to play in India. Wyatt comes in for pace bowler Shabnim Ismail who has since joined the Mumbai Indians and took a wicket in their last ball thriller against Delhi Capitals yesterday.
Chamari Athapaththu also enters the squad, after England pace bowler Lauren Bell dropped out due to the previously mentioned England selection issue. Sri Lanka’s Atthapaththu surprisingly missed out in the original auction, after being named the WBBL player of the tournament just a few weeks prior. I’m personally very happy to see her involved now this time round. An interesting tactic however, one could argue with the exits of two overseas pace bowlers in Bell and Ismail and their replacements coming in the form of a batter and batting all rounder who bowls spin!
2023 Top Wicket Takers & Run Scorers:
Top 5 Run Scorers:
- Thalia McGrath (Australia, 3rd Overall) – 302 runs from 8 innings at an average of 50.33.
- Alyssa Healy (Australia, 8th Overall) – 253 runs from 9 innings at an average of 31.62.
- Grace Harris (Australia, 10th Overall) – 230 runs from 5 innings at an average of 57.5.
- Kiran Navgire (India, 18th Overall) – 155 runs from 8 innings at an average of 19.37.
- Deepti Sharma (India) – 90 runs from 8 innings at an average of 12.85.
Top 5 Wicket Takers:
- Sophie Ecclestone (England, 2nd Overall) – 16 Wickets from 213 balls at an average of 14.68 and an economy of 6.61.
- Deepti Sharma (India, 12th Overall) – 9 Wickets from 209 balls at an average of 34.33 and an economy of 8.87.
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad (India, 14th Overall) – 7 Wickets from 180 balls at an average of 35.14 and an economy of 8.20.
- Anjali Sarvani (India) – 4 Wickets from 138 balls at an average of 45.5 and an economy of 7.91.
- Shabnim Ismail (South Africa) – 3 Wickets from 63 balls at an average of 30.66 and an economy of 8.76.
2024 Fixtures:
Saturday, February 24: Royal Challengers Bangalore v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Monday, February 26: Delhi Capitals v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Wednesday, February 28: Mumbai Indians v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Friday, March 1: Gujarat Giants v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Monday, March 4: Royal Challengers Bangalore v UP Warriorz (Bengaluru, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Thursday, March 7: Mumbai Indians v UP Warriorz (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Friday, March 8: Delhi Capitals v UP Warriorz (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Monday, March 11: Gujarat Giants v UP Warriorz (Delhi, 7.30pm Local & 2.00pm UK)
Current WPL Standings:
