We are only a few days into the new season of the Women’s Premier League and yet we have already witnessed high-scoring thrillers, middling winning contests, and dominant wins.
The league, which had an infusion of new players, young and old, at the recent auction, has seen some of them take centre stage in certain matches.
It’s still too early to tell how the season will progress, but the Gujarat Giants have made early moves with two wins in two games, while the Delhi Capitals have some catching up to do after beginning the tournament with back-to-back losses.
MATCH OF THE WEEK: The match between Gujarat Giants and the Delhi Capitals had it all. It had three half-centuries and a hat-trick with a sprinkling of great fielding. Sophie Devine put on a display of brutal hitting, Laura Wolvaardt showed class, and Nandani Sharma bowled an unplayable 20th over. The match had a total of 414 runs - Gujarat Giants scored 209 and the Delhi Capitals added the other 205.
BATTER: Talking of Devine, the Giants’ Australian star put all her experience on display with a stunning 42-ball 95. The Giants were put in to bat first, and Devine grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. The highlight of that match was her 32-run over against Sneh Rana, whose confidence was so damaged that she didn’t bowl another over after that one. Devine is the leading run-scorer and Orange Cap holder with 133 runs in two games.
BOWLER: Nandani Sharma has made a dream start in the WPL. The pacer is the leading wicket-taker with seven scalps in two outings. However, what makes the Capitals star stand out is her sensational bowling in the 20th over against the Giants. She took four wickets for two runs in six deliveries. Three of the wickets were a hat-trick, which made her the fourth bowler to claim a hat-trick. She finished the match with five wickets for 33 runs in four overs.
PERFORMANCE: There is something in the South African water that helps in the production of all-rounders. No one is a better example of that than Nadine de Klerk. She ran through Mumbai Indians’ middle order on her way to four wickets for 26 runs in four overs. RCB was on 63/4 and in need of 92 runs when she walked out to bat. De Klerk scored a match-winning, unbeaten 44-ball 63. She smashed a four off the last ball to secure victory.
OVERSEAS PLAYER: Lizelle Lee has made a late entrance at the WPL. She has been a staple at the Women’s Big Bash League, where she averages a respectable 31 runs at a strike rate of 134. The 33-year-old showed the WPL her value and class with her 54-ball 86 in her second outing for the Capitals.
TALKING POINT: Do the Capitals have bowlers? They have a batting line-up that can inflict damage on opposition sides. Lee, Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Marizanne Kapp make up a fearsome top six. However, their bowlers have conceded 404 runs in two games, and has inevitably led to back-to-back losses. Outside of Marizanne Kapp, none of their other bowlers have kept their economies low. They need to tighten up their lines.
LOOK OUT FOR: Is this the Giants’ season? The Giants finished at the bottom of the table two seasons in a row before surging to the playoffs in 2025. Will they continue on an upward curve and go all the way this season? The Giants have made a strong start with two wins, they scored more than two runs in both matches, showcasing their batting might. If they can maintain their momentum against Mumbai Indians and RCB in their next two matches, they might go all the way.