WPL 2023: Unsteady Gujarat Giants meet marauding Delhi Capitals

WPL 2023: While Gujarat Giants is still figuring out its right playing XI, Delhi Capitals will hope to qualify for the playoffs by sealing a spot in the top three.

Mansi Joshi of Gujarat Giants after being knocked for a few boundaries during the WPL 2023 clash the Gujarat Giants and the Delhi Capitals on the 11th March 2023. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS for WPL

Delhi Capitals will look to seal its top-two place when it meets Gujarat Giants in a Women’s Premier League league fixture in Mumbai on Thursday.

The Meg Lanning-led Capitals have had a stellar campaign so far in WPL 2023, with a solitary blemish in their record being a tame loss to Mumbai Indians. The side has returned to dominant winning ways and will hope to brush an unsteady Giants unit out of the way.

WHEN THESE TWO TEAMS LAST MET: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Giants by 10 wickets; Shafali Verma and Marizanne Kapp stole the show

The Capitals have constantly backed their winning combination, rarely changing the playing XI during the tournament. While the Giants’ problems blunt their potential to be a solid attacking unit, this could be a good game for Lanning to test her bench. Delhi has constantly fielded Arundhati Reddy but barely utilised her as a bowler. Titas Sadhu, Poonam Yadav, or even Sneha Deepthi getting a look in might give the squad a chance to weigh its options better.

The bigger question is - why should they change something that’s working well? In fielding almost an all-capped lineup for most of the tournament, the Capitals have prioritised winning, perhaps unconsciously, over walking the opportunities tightrope, and it has worked for the side. Sealing that playoff berth will be the first thing on their minds at the Brabourne Stadium.

What is the right XI?

WPL 2023 is past the midway stage, but a team that has not figured out its ideal XI are the Giants. The fragility of the team’s decisions is exemplified in the way they’ve rotated opening combinations. After Beth Mooney’s injury, the side brought Sophia Dunkley, who scored the fastest fifty of the tournament. When Laura Wolvaardt was roped in, Giants, to everyone’s surprise, dropped Dunkley to accommodate the SA opener. Wolvaardt couldn’t fire and was then dropped to bring back Dunkley. While the musical chairs continue here, S Meghana’s low scores are doing the top order no favours. It remains to be seen if the Giants do a UP and bring up another player or swap in Meghana for someone like Ashwani Kumar.

Another issue is an underfiring bowling unit. With the pitches starting to aid spin, perhaps Mansi Joshi, who has been expensive and not lethal, can be replaced with someone like Hurley Gala, a handy bat. Sneh Raha’s side will need more discipline in its bowling to counter a deep Delhi batting order.

SQUADS:

Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning(c), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Marizanne Kapp, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Taniya Bhatia(w), Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Tara Norris, Poonam Yadav, Laura Harris, Arundhati Reddy, Jasia Akhtar, Aparna Mondal, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi

Gujarat Giants: Sabbhineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Annabel Sutherland, Sneh Rana(c), Kim Garth, Sushma Verma(w), Mansi Joshi, Tanuja Kanwar, Laura Wolvaardt, Georgia Wareham, Monica Patel, Ashwani Kumari, Hurley Gala, Shabnam Md Shakil, Parunika Sisodia

GG vs DC live streaming info

Where to watch live streaming of Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals today?

Live streaming of Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals will be available on Sports 18 Network/Jio.