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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face off against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 7 of the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday, February 29.
With wins over the UP Warriorz (UPW) and the Gujarat Giants (GG), RCB are well placed at the top of the table. They have the best net run rate in the competition following their win over the Giants and could strengthen their position at the top with their third successive victory.
Changes are unlikely for Bangalore, given that their XI wears a balanced look.
RCB's squad for WPL 2024: Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana (c), Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, Shubha Satheesh, S Meghana, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux, Nadine de Klerk.
Here is RCB's predicted playing XI for Match 7 of WPL 2024 against DC.
Openers: Smriti Mandhana (c) and Sophie Devine
Smriti Mandhana has generally found life tough in the WPL, but she broke a lean run of form with her highest score in the competition in the last game. The left-hander looked to take on the GG bowlers right from the outset and played some delightful shots, although she couldn't cross the 50-run mark.
At the other end, Sophie Devine has failed to deliver in both matches so far. Interestingly, she has been dismissed by off-spin on both occasions, a pattern that usually manifests itself in his opening partner. The destructive Kiwi opener will want to come good against DC.
Middle Order: S Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sophie Molineux, and Georgia Wareham
S Meghana has made an excellent start to her RCB career with crucial contributions in both games. Delhi should be able to curtail her strokeplay if they bowl in the right areas, though.
Ellyse Perry has been consigned to a limited role in WPL 2024 so far, but she brings a plethora of experience and skill to the middle order. If she and Richa Ghosh fire, Bangalore could well be on course for their third win on the trot.
Much of RCB's success in the tournament has been down to their spin-bowling all-rounders, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham. The latter hasn't been as involved as initially expected, but that could change against a DC lineup that is packed with right-handers.
Lower Order: Shreyanka Patil, Asha Shobana, Simran Dil Bahadur, and Renuka Singh Thakur
Simran Dil Bahadur and Shreyanka Patil haven't had much to do so far in WPL 2024, with the former neither batting nor bowling. Shreyanka has been a touch expensive, and her task will only get tougher against DC.
Renuka Singh Thakur is on the back of arguably her best performance in the competition. She was adjudged the Player of the Match against GG for her economical spell that fetched the important wickets of Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield and will lead the pace battery once again.
Asha Shobana will round off the spin attack, with her five-fer against UPW still fresh in memory.
