The Women’s Premier League (WPL) got underway on Saturday, and it turned out to be night to remember for the Mumbai Indians Women, as they defeated the Gujarat Giants in a one-sided contest by 143 runs after posting a massive total batting first.
The action for the second match of WPL 2023 will move towards the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, where the Royal Challengers Bangalore Women will take on the Delhi Capitals Women during the day tomorrow (Sunday). Thus, the world’s most successful limited-Overs captain Meg Lanning, who will also skipper the Capitals this season will be up against one of the best Indian batters in Smriti Mandhana – the RCB skipper.
With the batting-order comprising the likes of Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Richa Ghosh, apart from Smriti herself, the RCB certainly look like the side to beat this tournament at the face of it.
The Capitals’ line-up isn’t short of international experience either. Apart from Lanning in the middle-order, the likes of Shefali Varma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Marizanne Kapp bring in the required experience and reputation to take on any side in the tournament.
Brabourne Stadium pitch report
Apart from the little movement that the red-soil pitch will likely offer the pacers upfront, expect the batters to walk the talk throughout the match duration at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.
The spinners are not expected to get significant turn off the surface, and akin the pacers, they would have to mix their lengths up in order to stay economical.
The average T20 score across the ten matches which have been played here, stands at 166.2 runs. The highest team total at this venue – 209/4 was registered by the Australia women versus England in 2018. Interestingly, Meg Lanning had scored 88 runs off mere 45 deliveries, with the help of 16 Fours and a Six during that match.
India lost three consecutive T20Is against Australia at Brabourne last year
Australia women had registered victories in each of the last three T20Is at the Brabourne Stadium, during their tour of India in December last year. With a 54-run victory in the last match, they clinched the five-match T20I series 4-1.
The average first innings score in the T20I matches at Brabourne during the series was 185.33, which is perhaps an indication as to how the pitch is likely to turn out today.
