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The second week of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 witnessed some epic clashes, which led to massive changes in the points table standings. While defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) suffered their second defeat, Gujarat Giants (GG) finally managed to win a game after four consecutive losses.
14 games have been played in two weeks so far, and last year’s finalists Delhi Capitals (DC) are dominating the table with eight points from five matches. They have registered four victories and a loss in five outings across two weeks.
MI, on the other hand suffered two consecutive losses, but got back to winning ways with the return of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and registered a win against UP Warriorz (UPW). They are currently placed second with eight points from six games.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), third on the points table, faced ups and downs in the second week, but Smriti Mandhana’s form with the bat has been the highlight. She has put up some fine performances so far and is currently the leading run-scorer in the tournament (243 runs).
Alyssa Healy-led UPW find themselves in the fourth spot, with four points from two wins and four losses in six games. GG managed to bag their first win in the week but they continue to hold the wooden spoon, with two points from five games.
Taking the discussion further, let us look at the best playing XI from week 2 of the WPL 2024:
Top-Order: Smriti Mandhana, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry
Meg Lanning has been leading DC brilliantly thus far and looks determined to seal a berth in the final this time again. She has 201 runs from five games, at an average of 40.20, and is second in the race to win the Orange Cap. Lanning has played the opener’s role to perfection and has led the side from the front, having scored three half-centuries.
Smriti Mandhana has been in top form this season. After a forgettable outing in the inaugural edition, the RCB captain is having a season to remember. She is the leading run-scorer in the tournament so far, having notched up 243 runs in six games. In the match against UPW last week, Mandhana hammered a 50-ball 80 to lead RCB and also register her personal best in WPL.
Ellyse Perry’s start of the campaign was not ideal, but she put up a magnificent show against UPW this week. She shared a 95-run second-wicket partnership with Mandhana as the duo took the UPW bowlers to the cleaners. Perry (58 off 37) kept the momentum going even after Mandhana’s dismissal and helped RCB get to a humungous total of 198/3.
Middle-Order: Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Amelia Kerr, Richa Ghosh (wk)
Jemimah Rodrigues found her mojo and took the team to a victory against the mighty MI, in what was a crucial game for both sides. The two teams have been arch-rivals in the tournament and having lost a game to MI this season, DC needed to defeat MI to level it up. Coming in to bat at No. 4, Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 69 off 33 balls to take her team’s total to 192/4 and rightfully clinched the Player of the Match award.
Jess Jonassen has been one of the most consistent players in the tournament thus far. After missing the first few games, Jonassen entered the tournament in style and has been impressive both with the bat and the ball. The Australian all-rounder is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with nine scalps from just three games and has also been handy with the bat.
Amelia Kerr has been one of MI’s most dependable all-rounders. She has picked up wickets at crucial junctures in the game and has also scored important runs in the middle to take her team out of misery. Though Kerr went wicketless in the three games of Week 2, the New Zealander has been scoring runs consistently, registering 40*, 17, and 39 in the recent outings.
Richa Ghosh’s wicketkeeping skills have improved tremendously. In RCBs three outings this week, Ghosh registered scores of 7, 21*, and 30, helping her side get the important runs towards the end of the innings. Her glovework has been outstanding and she has started reading the game from behind the stumps. Given her match-finishing skills, she’ll be a key player in the middle-order.
Lower: Sajeevan Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Saika Ishaque
S Sajana stole the spotlight in MI’s campaign opener against DC when she scored a six off the final ball to complete the chase successfully and take the team to a thrilling victory. Though she had been on and off later on, the past week has been great for the all-rounder. In the two recent outings, Sajana registered scores of 24* and 22*, with the former coming in a losing cause against DC, and has also showcased brilliant fielding skills.
In the three games that MI played this week, Pooja Vastrakar has been consistent with the ball and has registered figures of 2/14, 1/20, and 1/8. She’s yet to put up a worthy performance with the bat but has worked on her bowling and maintained the line and lengths to emerge as a dependable pacer for MI.
DC spinner Radha Yadav carried her form into the second week and racked up four wickets in two outings. In DC’s clash against GG, Yadav picked up three wickets and conceded 20 runs in her four-over spell to restrict the opposition from chasing down the total. She registered 1/23 in the most recent game against MI and has been one of the most active fielders.
Saika Ishaque had been struggling in the opening week but bounced back stronger in the second week of the tournament. In the three games that MI played this week, Ishaque registered figures of 1/9, 1/29, and 3/27 in the most recent outing against UPW. The spinner has finally found her mojo and will be raring to go in the forthcoming games to take MI closer to a playoff berth.
