After 21 matches, the WPL 2024 has reached its grand finale where the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will go head-to-head to determine who would be crowned as the champion of the second season.
Both the franchises haven't won a single piece of silverware in their 16-year-long existence, which means that history will surely be made for one of them when they will get their hands on their maiden trophy on March 17.
DC had directly qualified for the final after they topped the table with six wins in the league phase. RCB, on the other hand, have managed to get momentum at the right time and are coming on the back of an incredibly thrilling Eliminator win over Mumbai Indians.
On that note, let's take a look at three match-ups that could decide which of the two teams would the newly crowed WPL champion:
#3 Richa Ghosh vs Jess Jonassen
RCB wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh played a blinder of a knock, scoring 51 off just 29 balls against DC the last time these two teams met in the group stage. While she was distraught after the game as she couldn't take her team over the line, Richa's form is a massive worry for Meg Lanning and co.
This makes her match-up with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen quite interesting. Jonassen has been sensational with the ball in WPL 2024 so far and held her nerves to run Richa out in their previous face-off. However, Richa was also able to hit a few shots against Jonassen before that and will be confident of dominating the spinner.
#2 Meg Lanning vs Renuka Thakur
Despite being leap-frogged by Ellyse Perry in the Orange Cap race, Meg Lanning has an opportunity to take it back from her compatriot with a big knock in the final. She scored three back-to-back half-centuries and is in red-hot form, ringing alarm bells for RCB.
Smriti Mandhana needs her new-ball bowlers to strike early and Renuka Thakur becomes key, especially against Lanning. The former Australian skipper has scored 59 runs off 48 balls against Thakur in all T20 cricket and has been dismissed just once. The pacer will need to turn the match-up around to give her team a solid start with the ball.
#1 Ellyse Perry vs Marizanne Kapp
Arguably the blockbuster match-up of the WPL 2024 final could be between two veteran all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Marizanne Kapp. Perry stepped up her game in the Eliminator and once again proved why she is arguably among the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen.
MI made the mistake of not dismissing her early in the Eliminator and DC will need to ensure they learn from it. Kapp has been lethal on several occasions with the new ball and has also dismissed Perry thrice in T20Is. It won't be a surprise if the outcome of this match-up has the biggest impact on who lifts that WPL 2024 trophy in a few hours.
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