🏏WPL 2023 - Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women: Match 18 🏏

🏏WPL 2023 - Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai on 20/03/23 at 7:30PM IST🏏

Even as Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals are the only two teams to have qualified for the playoffsso far, a lot remains riding for them when the top-two take on each other in their second faceoff of this season, on Monday (March 20). A victory for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will secure them a direct berth to the final, while a loss will keep Capitals hoping for a similar fate.

Despite the dominance that has ensured Mumbai Indians' position at the top of the table from the opening game, UP Warriorz managed to expose their evident weak link: a host of domestic Indian cricketers, most of whom have largely been shielded by an in-form top-order.

Much like the Warriorz, if Capitals manage to rip through MI's top order early, they could be in with a contest, much unlike a one-way affair that the reverse fixture proved to be, at the same venue. However, that would need DC to counter the rich form that most of their top players are riding on, along with Saika Ishaque's purple patch with the ball.

For Delhi, the early destruction that Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma were able to cause has been controlled to a reasonable extent in the recent games by different opponents. With a need to bounce back from the loss in the previous game against Gujarat Giants and to keep the hopes of topping the table alive, Capitals would hope to find the best version of their opening pair again.

Team News

Mumbai Indians

The table toppers are yet to give clarity of Pooja Vastrakar's availability. If the all-rounder doesn't return, they are unlikely to make a change to their XI.

Probable XI: Hayley Mathews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Dhara Gujjar, Jintamani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Delhi Capitals

Coming in for Tara Norris in the previous game, Poonam Yadav couldn't get her full quota to make an impact,. But DC might be tempted to continue with her on what is expected to be a slow-ish surface.

Probable XI: Meg Lanning (C), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav

Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women Pitch Report

Out of the eight matches thus far in Navi Mumbai, the chasing team has won six times. Hence, it’s a no-brainer that teams should field first after winning the toss.

Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women Weather Forecast

There is no chance of rain as of now. Temperatures will be around the 27-degree Celsius mark with humidity in the 60s.

What they said?

We didn't play to our potential tonight. Our bowlers did an excellent job and I think they were 20-25 short. We didn't take that many wickets but we contained them quite well - Meg Lanning, Delhi Capitals captain, after the loss against Gujarat Titans

Stats and Trivia

• Mumbai and Capitals' bowlers have the best economy rates while bowling in powerplays - 5.61 and 6.27 respectively

• The two teams have also taken the most wickets in the powerplay. Mumbai's bowlers have taken 16 wickets combined while Capitals' bowlers have 11

Quotes

"I think our bowlers did a fantastic job. Anytime you get 127 or so, it is a hard job to defend but our bowlers did really well to take the game to the last over."

Mumbai Indians allrounder Hayley Matthews on their bowlers' efforts after the game against UP Warriorz

"Something we are working hard on is improving the last five or six overs, when we are closing out as a bowling unit. We are also tinkering with our side and the [batting] order."

Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty after their loss against Gujarat Giants

Originally posted by: Nichuss

2 games today?

Cheers..

DC FTW thanks for tag

Thank you, Raji, for the thread and for tagging me. 🤗

Mumbai Indians 👍🏼

top 2 competitin each other