The Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are set to lock horns for the third time in the WPL 2024 season, this time in the Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday, March 15.
Mumbai have a great head-to-head record against Bangalore, having won three out of their four WPL face-offs. However, their latest encounter saw the Royal Challengers boss the game and win by seven wickets. This would definitely give Smriti Mandhana and co. great confidence going into the knockout game.
The defending champions, on the other hand, have been in the Eliminator before, and Harmanpreet Kaur and co. will know what it takes to get over the hurdle to once again face Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals in the final.
With some absolute world-class players on both teams, here's a look at three player battles that could shape up the result of the WPL 2024 Eliminator:
#3 Nat Sciver-Brunt vs Georgia Wareham
Star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has had a woeful WPL 2024 season so far. In eight games, she has scored just 148 runs at a modest strike rate of 117.32 and an appalling average of 18.62. However, she showed in WPL 2023 that she knows how to turn up on the big stage.
MI desperately need Sciver-Brunt to turn up this time as well, but RCB will know that her record against leg-spinner Georgia Wareham isn't that great. In all T20 cricket, Sciver-Brunt had scored 37 runs in 51 deliveries from Wareham but has also been dismissed a staggering six times.
One won't be surprised if Smriti Mandhana brings the leggie into the attack as soon as Sciver-Brunt walks out to the middle.
#2 Smriti Mandhana vs Hayley Matthews
RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana's form is one of the main reasons why her team is in the playoffs. She has been setting the tone at the top of the order with 259 runs from eight matches at a fantastic strike rate of 145.50. However, her issues against off-spin, especially early on in the innings, have been well documented.
Harmanpreet Kaur will be tempted to once again unleash Hayley Matthews in the powerplay against Mandhana. In 90 balls that Hayley has bowled to the southpaw, she has conceded 95 runs but has also dismissed the batter four times.
The West Indies star was the Purple Cap holder in the previous WPL season. While she has not hit the same levels so far this season, Hayley might come into her own on the big stage.
#1 Harmanpreet Kaur vs Ellyse Perry
Harmanpreet Kaur has arguably been Mumbai's best batter this season, with her sizzling 95* against the Gujarat Giants (GG) being one of the highlights of the WPL 2024 season. She is probably the biggest wicket for RCB in the Eliminator because of how she can turn the game on its head when in the groove.
However, Harmanpreet's latest WPL innings was a golden duck where she was cleaned up by RCB's Ellyse Perry. The Australian all-rounder was on fire as she picked up a six-wicket haul against Mumbai last week and has a terrific record against Harmanpreet in the shortest format.
Perry has dismissed Harmanpreet as many as seven times in T20 cricket and this could make a massive match-up in the context of the Eliminator.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
