GG vs MI Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2024 match?

At one end of the spectrum are the Mumbai Indians (MI), who are placed second in the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) standings. At the other end are the struggling Gujarat Giants (GG), who are dead last. However, their upcoming WPL 2024 meeting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, March 9, might not be as straightforward as it seems.

For one, the defending champions haven't been at their best in the competition so far, even if they're on the back of a win against the UP Warriorz (UPW). Moreover, GG managed to string together their maiden win of the tournament against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recently.

So even if history suggests that there's only one favorite for this encounter, with the head-to-head record reading 3-0 in favor of MI, GG are very much in with a shout. All they need is another concerted batting display like the one they turned in against RCB, where Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt made the most of the powerplay and sprung off the platform they laid for themselves.

Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. will be intent on challenging table-toppers Delhi Capitals (DC), who succumbed to a shock loss at the hands of UPW yesterday. The top two teams are now level on points, and MI will have an eye on not just winning but also boosting their net run rate.

Can MI go to the top of the table by beating GG? Or will the current wooden-spoon holders prove that is still some fight left in them?

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WPL 2024, Match 16: MI aim to put pressure on table-toppers

The secret to GG's win against RCB was the manner in which Wolvaardt and Mooney made the most of the powerplay. They played barely any aerial shots but still managed to find the boundary multiple times in each over, courtesy of some excellent hitting in the gaps and running between the wickets.

Can they replicate the same against MI? Shabnim Ismail sent down a deadly spell in the powerplay in the last game, even though it yielded only one wicket. And apart from the South African speedster, Mumbai have plenty of canny operators who can bowl at all stages of the innings.

Amelia Kerr's patchy recent bowling form could play into GG's hands, but they arguably don't have the middle-order might needed to keep the MI bowling attack at bay. With the likes of Pooja Vastrakar, Saika Ishaque, and Nat Sciver-Brunt finding form, the defending champions look well-rounded once again.

The MI batting unit hasn't been at its best in WPL 2024, with Hayley Matthews yet to play an innings of note. However, the domestic names such as Amanjot Kaur and S Sajana have stepped up, and the side are also playing an additional batter by dropping leg-spinner SB Keerthana.

Anything can happen in a game of cricket, and GG are on the back of a momentum-giving win. However, MI are the clear favorites for this encounter and should be able to come out on top by a fair margin.

Prediction: MI to win Match 16 of WPL 2024.