After five wins in a row, Mumbai Indians suffered their first defeat of the season in their last match against UP Warriorz. Next up, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will host Delhi Capitals on March 20 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai with the hope of strengthening their position at the top of the table.
Since the Capitals are just two points behind them, the race to qualify for the finals of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is currently heating up and thus, a cracking contest is expected when these two sides will clash.
Notably, the Meg Lanning-led side too suffered a defeat in their last match against Gujarat Giants. Courtesy of their brilliant bowling performance, Giants restricted Delhi to 136 runs and won the match by 11 runs.
Now, even though Meg Lanning started the season in a remarkable fashion, her form at the moment is a matter of concern. Shafali Verma, on the other hand, has been very inconsistent and thus, the team needs to work on certain things at the moment. Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp’s form will boost their confidence a lot.
Coming to Mumbai, there isn’t much to worry about even after a horrible batting collapse in their last match against Warriorz. The team looks more or less sorted with players like Hayley Matthews and Saika Ishaque in brilliant form. The middle order can definitely improve as the lower middle order doesn’t have enough experience with the bat.
MI-W vs DEL-W Match Details
Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals, Match 18, Women’s Premier League 2023
Venue: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
Date & Time: March 20, 7:30 PM IST
Telecast: Sports18
Live Streaming: JioCinema
MI-W vs DEL-W Pitch Report
The surface at the DY Patil Stadium will favour the batters to dominate but spinners will also get some sort of help. Bowling first will be ideal and anything above 165 is a good score on this wicket.
MI-W vs DEL-W Probable Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians Women (MI-W):
Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Humaira Kazi, Dhara Gujjar, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque
Delhi Capitals Women (DEL-W):
Meg Lanning (c), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav
MI-W vs DEL-W Probable Best Performers
Probable best batter
Harmanpreet Kaur:
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been sensational in the tournament thus far. In six matches so far, the 34-year-old has scored 205 runs and with that, she is currently the fourth-leading run-scorer of the season. If she manages to keep going at this rate, Mumbai can clinch the inaugural title.
Probable best bowler
Saika Ishaque:
Hailing from Kolkata, Saika Ishaque has stunned everyone in the ongoing season. The 27-year-old has picked up 12 wickets in six matches so far and with that, she is the joint-leading wicket-taker of the tournament at the moment alongside Sophie Ecclestone. If she can manage to continue in the same manner, Saika can soon break into the national team.
Today’s Match Prediction: Team bowling first to win the match
Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.