"Why so many changes?" - Aakash Chopra questions UP Warriorz's tactics in WPL 2023 loss to Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has questioned the UP Warriorz (UPW) for the tactics they employed in their WPL 2023 loss to the Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Warriorz were restricted to 138/6 after being asked to bat first at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, March 21. The Delhi Capitals chased down the target with five wickets and 13 balls to spare to finish atop the WPL 2023 points table and qualify for the final directly.

On the "AakashVani" show on JioCinema, Chopra acknowledged that it was an inconsequential game for the UP Warriorz but was still surprised by their team selection, reasoning:

"Delhi have reached the No. 1 position. UP Warriorz surprised me a lot. I agree there was no chance for UP to reach the No. 1 position but why so many changes? Momentum is not visible but it is there. You want to actually win the game and then get into the Eliminator but they made three changes in the XI."

The former Indian opener was also taken aback by the batting order employed by Alyssa Healy and Co., saying:

"After that, the batting order was not understandable. I didn't understand the way they batted. You reached 138 because of Tahlia McGrath's fifty else you wouldn't have reached there as well. I was disappointed."

Simran Shaikh, who was elevated to the No. 3 position in the batting order, scored a painstaking 23-ball 11 and stalled the UP Warriorz innings. Tahlia McGrath (58* off 32) and Healy (36 off 34) were the only Warriorz batters to breach the 20-run mark.

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"Delhi came with a lot of intent" - Aakash Chopra on the Delhi Capitals chase

Meg Lanning crossed the 300-run mark in WPL 2023 during her innings. [P/C: WPL/Twitter]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Jemimah Rodrigues' cheap dismissal was probably the only setback during the Delhi Capitals' chase, observing:

"Delhi came with a lot of intent. Shafali Verma hit and Meg Lanning was wonderful. They made just one change - sent Jemimah Rodrigues up the order so that she could score a few runs. She got an inside edge and should have taken a DRS but she didn't."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Alice Capsey and Marizanne Kapp ensured that the Delhi Capitals achieved the qualification target for the final with ease, stating:

"After that, Alice Capsey and along with her Marizanne Kapp. Their pairing is not less than anyone - they hit well. They would have finished at No. 1 if they had won the match in 19.4 overs and they didn't go until there. They won in a canter."

Meg Lanning top-scored for the Capitals with a 23-ball 39. Capsey and Kapp made identical scores of 34 runs off 31 deliveries, with the latter also remaining unbeaten and taking her team across the line.