Women’s Premier League: A DC marvel on the horizon?

New Delhi, March 16

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In-form Delhi Capitals, led by the inspirational Meg Lanning, would hope to be second time lucky and lift their maiden Women’s Premier League trophy when they take on a plucky Royal Challengers Bangalore in the summit clash here tomorrow.

After missing out on the title in the inaugural edition last year, losing by seven wickets to Mumbai Indians in the final, DC look a rejuvenated side this year.

They have been in superb form, topping the five-team league with 12 points from eight matches.

Lanning has led DC from the front, scoring 308 runs from eight innings, while South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp and Australian left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen are the highest wicket-takers for the side with 11 scalps each.

DC’s only two defeats this season came against MI and UP Warriorz. Leaving aside those two matches, they have enjoyed a near-perfect campaign. Going into the final, they will definitely start as favourites, having never lost to RCB in four meetings.

“We are really in a good space heading into tomorrow. It’s going to be a cracking game. We are really excited to be involved, give ourselves an opportunity to go out there and win it,” Lanning said.

Having said that, past results hardly have any significance in the final. It is an overwhelming occasion and the side which can withstand pressure and expectations will win the title.

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana has high regard for Lanning, but she feels a skipper is always as good as the team.

“We give a lot of importance to the role of captain but the captain is as good as the team. Nothing changes tomorrow, we are playing a good Delhi Capitals side, who have played some amazing cricket over the last two seasons,” Mandhana said.

Game-changers

DC will expect the explosive Shafali Verma to provide them with a quick start alongside Lanning.

17 Lanning has never been out in single digits in 17 WPL innings. But two of her lowest scores have come against RCB

RCB has played some excellent cricket, they played some great cricket when they were under the pump. What a challenge for our group to go out there and take them on. I have got full confidence that we will be able to deliver what we need to. Meg Lanning, DC captain

Jemimah Rodrigues has been in fine fettle in the middle, but Lanning would expect more contributions from the likes of all-rounders Alice Capsey and Kapp.

On the bowling front, Jonassen has been the star performer but the likes of Kapp and Shikha Pandey too have contributed.

RCB, on the other hand, finished third in the league phase after an inconsistent run that yielded eight points, but they clicked when it mattered, knocking out defending champions MI on Friday.

All-rounder Ellyse Perry will be key to RCB’s success, as besides being the highest run-getter with 312 runs, the Australian has been impressive with the ball, scalping seven wickets. — PTI

Smriti keeps men’s failure at bay

RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana doesn’t want to put too much pressure on her side ahead of the final tomorrow, and added that she is not in the mood for comparisons with their men’s team counterparts in the IPL. The RCB men’s team has failed to win a single IPL title in the last 17 years, finishing runners-up thrice. But just into the second WPL season, the Mandhana-led women’s team has a shot at the title.

“Firstly, I think this year was really important for us to connect to the whole franchise with what’s happened with the men, sometimes it puts pressure. So we were just thinking that we are two seasons into it, so let’s not put too much stress. So not really co-relating with what happened with the men’s team,” Mandhana said.