UP Warriorz. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)
After beating Gujarat Giants by three wickets in their last match, UP Warriorz have qualified for the all-important playoffs of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League. However, ahead of the business end of the tournament, the Alyssa Healy-led side needs to address a lot of issues and their upcoming match against Delhi Capitals on March 21, at the Brabourne Stadium, is the perfect place to do so.
When it comes to strategies, UP has done a reasonably good job in the last couple of games. However, some of their players are yet to prove themselves in the tournament. So, will UP give others a chance in their final league match of the season or will back the same team to get the job done? Let’s find out –
Here’s UP Warriorz’ predicted XI for the match against Delhi Capitals:
Openers – Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Devika Vaidya
Alyssa Healy. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)
Skipper Alyssa Healy started the season well but her form is a matter of concern at the moment. The 32-year-old has hit 206 runs from seven matches so far but in the last three matches, she managed to score only 21 runs. Thus, ahead of the playoffs, Healy would want to improve and the match against Delhi is the perfect opportunity to get back in form. She has the calibre to take the game away from the opposition but for that, she needs to give herself some time to settle down.
When it comes to Devika, the all-rounder was given a fantastic opportunity to prove herself as a top-order batter. Now, even though she started well, the 25-year-old lost her momentum with time. Overall, she managed to score only 77 runs in seven matches and that’s a massive reason to worry about for UP. As things stand, the team management needs to think about whether to send her down the order and give Shweta Sehrawat another chance or to back the cricketer. Notably, she also hasn’t been given a lot of opportunities with the ball.
Middle Order – Kiran Navgire, Simran Sheikh
Kiran Navgire. (Photo Source: WPL/Twitter)
Kiran Nagvire started the season in a brilliant fashion but failed to help her team in the remaining six matches. She has scored only 110 runs in seven matches so far and that needs to change ahead of the playoffs. The Delhi Capitals bowlers are not going to give her an easy time in the middle and thus Kiran will have to step up her game.
Simran Sheikh is another such UP player who has failed to perform in the inaugural season. Despite so, skipper Alyssa Healy has shown a lot of trust in the youngster and thus, she will be desperate to prove her worth in the final league game of the season.
All-rounders – Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma, Parshavi Chopra
Grace Harris. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)
Grace Harris absolutely stole the show in the last match against Gujarat Giants. Her blistering knock of 72 runs off 41 deliveries secured UP’s position in the playoffs. Going forward, she will be extremely vital for the squad as many of the batters are currently in very poor form. Overall, the 29-year-old has smashed 216 runs in five matches and with that, she currently is the fifth-leading run-scorer of the tournament.
Deepti Sharma on the other hand has been remarkable with the ball. The 25-year-old has picked up nine wickets from seven matches so far but when it comes to batting, she has failed massively. That is one area the all-rounder needs to get better at ahead of the playoffs.
Parshavi Chopra has played only two matches so far and picked up two wickets in the process. She was excellent in the last game against Gujarat and the team management will hope that the all-rounder will keep performing at the same level if not better.
Bowlers – Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Sophie Ecclestone. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Sophie Ecclestone has been UP’s wreaker-in-chief in the inaugural season. The spin wizard has picked up 13 wickets from seven matches and with that, she currently is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. The England international has also contributed with the bat from time to time and thus, she is a very important part of UP’s squad at the moment.
Youngster Lauren Bell hasn’t played a single game in the competition and thus, the team management can back her ahead of the final league game. She might replace Tahlia McGrath, who can use a day off to remain fit for the playoffs. Notably, the 22-year-old has played nine T20I matches, picking up 12 wickets in the process.
The Indian duo of Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Anjali Sarvani is getting better with time. Gayakwad has picked up seven wickets from seven games while Anjali has been economical in the last two matches. Thus, bowling is more or less sorted for the franchise, as it’s the batters who need to click.
UP Warriorz playing XI: Alyssa Healy (wk/c), Devika Vaidya, Kiran Navgire, Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma, Simran Shaikh, Parshavi Chopra, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
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