Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, March 4: The stage is prepared for the Women’s Premier League (WPLdebut )’s season, and the thrilling match between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians will serve as the tournament’s opening act.
Women’s cricket supporters in the nation have been calling for a league for female stars that would be comparable to the IPL, which has been a huge success for the BCCI over the years.
Putting away the financial aspect, the IPL has given the nation some of its best athletes, like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, to name a few.
BCCI and the players will be hoping for the WPL to be as successful when the first ball is delivered at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 PM IST.
Beth Mooney, who recently helped Australia win the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, will serve as the team’s captain. The Gujarat franchise’s roster features some elite batters, including Ashleigh Gardner, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, and Deandra Dottin, who contribute to the team’s adequate firepower.
Sneh Rana and Annabel Sutherland, among others, are anticipated to be the leaders of the attack in the bowling department, which also has several match-winners in it.
On the other hand, Harmanpreet Kaur will be hoping to move past her World Cup semi-final setback and assist Mumbai Indians in replicating their IPL success.
She will be one of the key batters and will receive support from Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Yastika Bhatia. The Mumbai franchise is one that has some good all-rounders in their ranks and all eyes will be on Pooja Vastrakar, who will act as the main bowler for MI.
The festivities are all set to begin as the WPL is a monumental achievement for women’s cricket in the country. The Kolkata Knightriders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match way back in 2008 certainly set the tone for the IPL and the fans and organizers will be hoping for the same when these two powerhouses will lock horns on 4th March.
The squads for both teams are as follows:
Gujarat Giants Squad: Beth Mooney (Captain), Sabbhineni Meghana, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Hurley Gala, Ashwani Kumari, Annabel Sutherland, Sushma Verma, Sneh Rana, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel, Tanuja Kanwar, Parunika Sisodia, Shabnam Md Shakil.
Mumbai Indians Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Hayley Matthews, Humaira Kazi, Neelam Bisht, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon, Jintimani Kalita, Yastika Bhatia, Priyanka Bala, Issy Wong, Saika Ishaque, Sonam Yadav
