Fireworks are assured when Alyssa Healy and Harmanpreet Kaur, the captains of UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians, respectively, meet on reverse ends on a cricket discipline.
The 2 have shared a historical past of minor skirmishes, heated celebrations and icy greetings in worldwide cricket.
With the battle to complete within the prime three within the combine, between a facet comfortably positioned third – Mumbai – whereas the opposite – Warriorz – fights tooth-and-nail – drama is assured of their Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) match on the Arun Jaitley Stadium right here on Thursday.
As of Wednesday (earlier than the Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore [RCB]), MI and UPW are positioned third and fourth within the standings.
The previous comes into this recreation after a 29-run loss to Delhi Capitals whereas UP Warriorz limped to a 23-run loss in opposition to the Royal Challengers.
MI received a actuality test of how robust the low and sluggish situations on the Jaitley Stadium might be and, will look to emulate the template set by Jemimah Rodrigues from this recreation onwards.
That mentioned, will probably be an entire new problem ought to the pitch be totally different for this recreation.
MI’s loss might be referred to as the odd blip within the season for a dominant facet that has gamers firing in unison with bat and ball.
Shabnim Ismail clocked the quickest recorded supply within the ladies’s recreation, sufficient to go away a participant of Meg Lanning’s calibre and expertise somewhat puzzled as to the place the ball went after she performed clumsily off the pads. The Warriorz’s line-up would have been taking notes.
MI has seen good showings from the highest and center order however it’s the explosive energy of S. Sajana and Amanjot Kaur that can give the facet loads of confidence going ahead.
For the Warriorz, Healy and the top-order are anticipated to shoulder a lot of the scoring tasks however she has not been constant sufficient to anchor the staff’s batting efforts sufficient this season.
Her assist has additionally been sporadic with Indian skills like Shweta Sehrawat and Kiran Navgire are additionally but to strike some rhythm leaving the staff relying on its international pool.
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Grace Harris and Chamari Athapaththu have been saddled with big-hitting duties however among the many Indians, barring Navgire, solely Poonam Khemnar has seemed comfortably as much as the duty.
This has been a reasonably quiet event thus far for Deepti Sharma with bat and ball. She has simply three wickets thus far this season and must return to her wicket-taking type to present Sophie Ecclestone assist, significantly in breaking key partnerships.
A win will give UP Warriorz a lift in its bid to remain alive within the competitors, with RCB squeezing via for area within the prime three. With MI the steadier outfit of the 2, Harmanpreet will eye an easy victory to return to successful methods.