🏏WPL2023:Delhi Capitals Women vs Mumbai Indians Women, Final🏏 - Page 3

Thanks to the two leaders, and their frequently crisscrossing paths at the highest level, there's a tinge of familiarity to even this T20 franchise competition finale. The lopsided rivalry of their national teams notwithstanding, no opposition has fuelled the fire in Harmanpreet quite like Australia, and no team has tested the might of Lanning's side quite like India in the recent past.

Delhi Capitals Women have won the toss and have opted to bat

Meg Lanning: We are going to bat. It looks a good wicket, we are backing ourselves tonight. We had a good time, relaxed a few days. We are up against Mumbai tonight. Spin has played a big role here. The bowlers have been effective througout the tournament.

Harmanpreet Kaur: We are looking to bowl first, toss is not going to affect us. I think the wicket will swing, it looks hard. We need to stay positive, the last game was important and we got a lot of confidence after that. They have a good batting line-up, we need to bowl well tonight. We are going with the same XI.

In a tournament where virtual purses and auction dynamics decided the makeup of the squads they were to lead, both Lanning and Harmanpreet have stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of resource management.

Brilliant tacticians of the game on field that they are, it wasn't a surprise really that the two most experienced captains in the competition shepherded their sides to top of the standings in no time even with their very distinct styles. Harmanpreet wears her heart on the sleeve; Lanning wears her achievements lightly. To be fair, no part of that changes off the field.

Mumbai Indians Women (Playing XI): Yastika Bhatia(w), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (capt), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Taniya Bhatia(wk), Minnu Mani, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey

Teams:

Delhi Capitals Women (Playing XI): Meg Lanning(c), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Minnu Mani

Mumbai Indians Women (Playing XI): Yastika Bhatia(w), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Harmanpreet Kaur: We were looking to bowl first, so the toss is not going to affect us. I think the wicket will swing, it looks hard. We need to stay positive, the last game was important and we got a lot of confidence after that. They have a good batting line-up, we need to bowl well tonight. We are going with the same XI.

Delhi Capitals Women have won the toss and have opted to bat

It's a cool evening in Mumbai, a bit windy, too. Once again lots of blues - the Mumbai Indians one more in volume - inside and outside the Brabourne Stadium. People are queuing up to get in and there are people with loudspeakers guiding the spectators with valid tickets to their appropriate gates. At this point, the stadium seems to be about 50% full.

DC openers in Powerplay at WPL 2023
Meg Lanning: 190 runs off 138 balls, one dismissal, 29 fours, five sixes, SR: 137.68
Shafali Verma: 172 runs off 99 balls, five dismissals, 23 fours, eight sixes, SR: 173.74

Varunselvan R: Need more teams and more locations next year. Hope ticket prices remain affordable next year too.