Picking a combined MI-Gujarat Giants playing 11 for WPL 2024 ft. Shabnim Ismail and Beth Mooney

As the second edition of the Women’s Premier League approaches its business end, four teams are in contention to make it to the playoffs. Taking the competition forward, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Giants (GG) will square off in the 16th match of the WPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, March 9.

Both teams are coming off victories from their most recent outings. While GG defeated the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 13th game of the tournament, MI went past UP Warriorz in the 14th match to strengthen their place in the points table.

A victory in the forthcoming game will mathematically confirm Mumbai’s place in the playoffs, as they will manage to finish in the top three even if they lose their last game against RCB. Though GG doesn’t have much of a chance to make it to the next stage, they will look to spoil the party for other teams.

On that note, let us look at the combined XI of Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants for their WPL 2024 fixture.

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Top-order: Yastika Bhatia, Beth Mooney, Nat Sciver-Brunt

After starting off her campaign this season on a high note, Yastika Bhatia has struggled to get going with the willow of late. Yazzy B, as her coach Charlotte Edwards fondly calls her, has registered scores of 7, 26, 31, 6, and 9 in her last five outings but will be a key in the lineup courtesy of her wicketkeeping skills.

Beth Mooney has been the silver lining for GG this season. While the team has managed to bag only one win in five matches, Mooney has been the binding factor. She has tried her best to stay on the field for a long and put up runs and found her breakthrough moment in the most recent game against RCB. Opening the innings, Mooney remained unbeaten at 85 at the end of 20 overs.

Nat Sciver-Brunt has been consistent both with the bat and the ball. She has put up all-round performances throughout the tournament and is one of the MVPs in the Mumbai camp.

In the recently concluded game against UPW, the 31-year-old notched up 45 runs in the first innings and followed it up with 2/14 with the ball to win the Player of the Match award.

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Middle-order: Harmanpreet Kaur

MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur returned to the field for MI’s first game of the Delhi leg after missing two games due to a minor injury. After a failed outing against DC, Kaur was lethal with the bat against UPW and also shared a 59-run partnership with Sciver-Brunt.

MI have faced a couple of setbacks this season but are second in the points table with eight points from four wins in six games. They are very close to clinching a playoff berth and Harmanpreet Kaur will be determined to lift the WPL trophy for the second time and defend the title.

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All-rounders: Amelia Kerr, S Sajana, Tanuja Kanwer, Pooja Vastrakar

Amelia Kerr has been the best all-rounder for MI this season. Though she has not been too consistent with the ball, her heroics with the bat have helped MI clinch multiple victories this season.

In the last five matches, she has registered scores of 31, 23, 40*, 17, and 39 and will be hopeful of putting up another all-round performance.

Sajeevan Sajana has quite literally been the finding of the season. She grabbed everyone’s attention in the tournament’s curtain-raiser by scoring a six off the last delivery of the match against DC to take her side to a thrilling victory.

Sajana unleashed her best version as a batter in the recent two outings and has scores of 24* and 22* to her name. She is a big hitter and the team would want her to carry the same momentum till the end.

Apart from their win in the recent clash against RCB, GG had been struggling on the field but Tanuja Kanwer showed resilience with both the bat and the ball. She has looked in good touch and will be aiming to improve her performances to help her side finish their campaign on a high note.

Pooja Vastrakar is yet to find the right momentum with the bat but she has been consistently picking up wickets of late. In the past three games, the 24-year-old has registered figures of 2/14, 1/20 and 1/8. As MI inch closer to making it to the final, Pooja will want to contribute equally with the bat in the remainder of the tournament.

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Bowlers: Shabnim Ismail, Meghana Singh, Saika Ishaque

Shabnim Ismail is one bowler whom the opposition batters fear to play, well except Shafali Verma. While the young DC opener managed to hit Ismail for big runs this season, other batters have failed to face the pacer that well.

The 35-year-old recently bowled the fastest recorded delivery (132.1 km/h) in the history of women’s cricket and has also been among the wickets for MI. She has six scalps to her name from four outings and would look to give her best in the powerplay overs with the new ball.

Meghana Singh was terrific with the ball against Delhi Capitals when the two teams squared off in the Bengaluru leg of the tournament. She registered figures of 4/37 in four overs and dismissed Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, and Radha Yadav. Singh will be hoping to recreate her heroics in the upcoming match.

Saika Ishaque, who was at her lethal best last year, struggled in the initial games but bounced back in style in the recent game against UPW. She registered match-winning figures of 3/27, helping MI restrict UPW to 118/9 in their quest for 161 runs.