The Gujarat Giants and the Royal Challengers Bangalore will square off in the sixth match of WPL 2023 on Wednesday, March 8, at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Neither side has opened their account in the points table this season and are still in search of their first wins. While Gujarat was battered by the Mumbai Indians in the season opener, they put on a much-improved display in the second match only to lose the plot in the death overs to concede a win to the UP Warriorz.
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana's RCB were completely outplayed in both their matches, first by the Delhi Capitals and later by the Mumbai Indians. The side's bowling unit hasn't been up to the mark, with their batting lineup looking very prone to collapses.
It will be interesting to see which side recovers from their defeats to deliver a solid performance in this match. On that note, let's also take a look at three differential picks for your fantasy cricket team from this fixture.
#3 Sabbhineni Meghana (GG)
Attacking opening batter Sabbhineni Meghana got the Gujarat Giants off to a cracking start against the UP Warriorz before her dismissal in the fifth over slowed things down. She has played her fair share of international cricket but isn't a part of the current Indian setup.
The right-handed Andhra Pradesh opener will want to build on her start in the previous match and deliver bigger scores when she walks out to bat at a batter-friendly Brabourne wicket.
With the focus on the bigger names like Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Ash Gardner, Meghana could be a high-risk high-reward pick that could significantly boost your Dream11 ranks.
#2 Preeti Bose (RCB)
The Gujarat Giants batters appear to have a weakness against left-arm spinners and this has been exploited by their opponents. First by Saika Ishaque from the Mumbai Indians and then by Sophie Ecclestone from the UP Warriorz.
Preeti Bose, who has arguably been RCB's best bowler so far, will look to have a similar impact on her opposition when the two sides take to the pitch. She was the only bowler to have an economy rate of less than nine runs per over in both of RCB's games. That's quite significant when you consider the opponent's Run Rate against them.
Preeti was the sole wicket-taker in the side's nine-wicket defeat to MI and has looked quite comfortable with the ball in hand. While she hasn't had her big points haul yet, this could well be the game where that happens.
#1 Annabel Sutherland (GG)
Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland is one of the primary all-rounders for the Gujarat Giants but hasn't quite gotten off the mark this season. She has struggled with the bat, scoring only a combined 14 runs off 24 balls in the first two games. Sutherland also has only one wicket with the ball, conceding runs at more than 10 RPO.
However, the side is expected to back her for the upcoming games, and she is someone who has a high ceiling for points. Set to bat at No.4 and deliver four overs with the ball, Sutherland can deliver hauls similar to Hayley Matthews, Tahlia McGrath, and Jess Jonassen in the last few matches.
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