There shall be so much at stake when the host Royal Challengers Bangalore takes on the defending champion Mumbai Indians in a high-octane conflict of the Ladies’s Premier League 2024 on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Each groups have had an analogous run to this point, profitable their first two video games and shedding their third within the absence of marquee gamers. Mumbai suffered a seven-wicket thrashing from UP Warriorz, whereas the Royal Challengers misplaced to Delhi Capitals by 25 runs on Thursday.
Earlier than the Delhi Capitals sport, Renuka Thakur, Sophie Devine, and Asha Sobhana have been among the many 4 most economical bowlers within the league. Whereas Renuka nonetheless tops the listing, Asha and Devine have dropped down the pecking order after RCB conceded 194 in its earlier match.
Nadine de Klerk changed the unwell Ellyse Perry within the taking part in XI and had a formidable debut, contributing to RCB with a breakthrough amidst Delhi Capitals’ robust batting.
Large plus
Smriti Mandhana has made a robust return with runs, presently holding the orange cap. Main the batting cost, she performed a vital function in instilling religion within the 26,000-strong crowd throughout a difficult 195-run chase in opposition to the Capitals. Smriti dominated the chase early on together with her elegant stroke play, clearing the infield to attain boundaries at common intervals. She additionally scored her maiden WPL fifty within the earlier sport. Her presence on the prime would offer RCB with much-needed stability.
ALSO READ | He’s the brand new Ravichandran Ashwin: Vaughan on Shoaib Bashir
The main fear for the crew is Sophie Devine’s (the very best run-scorer for RCB within the WPL 2023) batting kind; she has 30 runs in three video games. Nonetheless, her bowling contributions (two wickets at an economic system price of 5.62) stay constant.
Harmanpreet returns
Alternatively, Mumbai Indians will welcome skipper Harmanpreet Kaur again from an damage, however the absence of key pacer Shabnim Ismail, as a consequence of a niggle from the Gujarat Giants match, stays a priority.
Opener Hayley Matthews marked her return with a fifty, offering aid with the bat. Nat Sciver-Brunt can be wanting to recover from the frustration of two back-to-back runouts.
To compensate for Ismail’s absence, Issy Wong, partnering with Saika Ishaque, seeks to fill the void within the bowling division for Mumbai Indians.
Key matchup
The essential particular person battle that would affect tomorrow’s sport can be Smriti vs. Wong. The Mumbai pacer will look to check Smriti within the PowerPlay by probing broad of off stump.
The Mumbai prime order has been carrying the vast majority of the accountability, leaving Pooja Vastrakar with little alternative to exhibit her batting abilities. In the meantime, if Amelia Kerr, the present Purple Cap holder (seven wickets in three video games), maintains her excellent efficiency with the ball, Mumbai may acquire a bonus over the house crew.