The top two teams in the points table are both tied at six points. After losing their first match against the same opponents in Vadodara, MI has since won three consecutive matches. Despite some weaknesses in the team, such as Yastika Bhatia’s form, Nat Sciver-Brunt has consistently performed well with both bat and ball, contributing greatly to their victories.
Hayley Matthews has not been in her best form with the bat either, as seen in her scratchy 59 off 50 against UP Warriorz. However, other players have stepped up, particularly the young Indian players on the team.
DC, on the other hand, have had a rollercoaster season but recently secured a comfortable victory over Gujarat Giants. The team played exceptionally well and, in addition, promoting Jess Jonassen to No. 3 proved to be a successful decision.
Despite this success, their captain Meg Lanning has not yet shown her full potential this year. Interestingly enough, Lanning holds an impressive average of 48.50 in five innings against MI in the WPL prior to this season. Can she replicate her past performances against one of her preferred opponents?
In this competition, we will see two esteemed new-ball units face off – DC’s Marizanne Kapp and Shikha Pandey versus MI’s Shabnim Ismail and Sciver-Brunt.
Team updates
Anticipate DC to enter with an identical starting roster.
The potential Delhi Capitals line-up includes Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning as captain, Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Sarah Bryce as wicketkeeper, Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, Titas Sadhu and Shikha Pandey.
As Jintimani Kalita only bowled one over in the previous match, there is a possibility of her being substituted for left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia.
The Mumbai Indians’ probable XI includes Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia as wicket-keeper, followed by Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur as captain, Amelia Kerr, S Sajana, G Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail and either Parunika Sisodia or Jintimani Kalita.
In the match against Giants, Jess Jonassen once again proved her worth as an allrounder. Following Lanning’s dismissal, she quickly took charge at No. 3 and aggressively scored 61 runs in just 32 balls, mainly targeting the square boundary. Along with Shafali Verma, she formed a partnership of 74 runs off only 37 balls and efficiently secured victory for the team.
Even in the recent defeat against UP Warriorz, Jonassen made a valuable contribution with her bowling skills, taking four wickets for just 31 runs. Notably, she claimed the crucial dismissals of Chinelle Henry and Deepti Sharma to restrict the opponent’s score.
During her match against UPW, Sanskriti Gupta displayed impressive performance, taking two wickets for only eleven runs in her two overs. Her offspin proved effective as she dismissed Tahlia McGrath and Vrinda Dinesh, while also varying her speeds effectively.
In fact, she even bowled a 95.1kph yorker to dismiss McGrath. Having been acquired by MI for INR 10 lakh at the auction, Sanskriti played a crucial role in Madhya Pradesh’s victory in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, claiming 16 wickets in nine matches. As she strives to secure her spot in the MI line-up, Sanskriti will surely aim to continue making an impact on the field.
