3 concerns for UPW ahead of their Eliminator clash against MI in WPL 2023
The Eliminator of WPL 2023 will see the Mumbai Indians (MI) take on the UP Warriorz (UPW) at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Friday, March 24.
The buck stops here for both teams in question, with a spot in the summit clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC) up for grabs. While MI came second in the table after the round-robin stage with 12 points, UPW finished just below them with eight points from as many matches.
The Warriorz, though, will take heart from the fact that they were the first team to hand Mumbai a loss in the tournament, at this very venue as well. Whether that translates into another win or not remains to be seen, but if they are to repeat the same, they will have to paper over a few cracks.
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Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz will fight for the finale spot against Delhi Capitals 🔥🏏
#cricket #WPL #DCvsUPW #MI https://t.co/iJzHRSyPnD
Here, we assess three areas of concern for UPW ahead of the Eliminator of WPL 2023.
#1 Likely absence of a genuine quick bowler
Shabnim Ismail, who is arguably the fastest bowler in the women's game today, played UPW's final WPL 2023 round-robin fixture against the Delhi Capitals. However, with Grace Harris set to return to the XI against MI, there is every chance that Ismail will make way for her.
There is no denying that the Warriorz are a heavily spin-reliant outfit, with Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and more recently Parshavi Chopra doing their bidding. With the pitches tiring out, it is bound to play into their hands as well.
However, it is never advisable for a bowling unit to be heavily skewed in favor of one style of bowling. Anjali Sarvani has silently chipped away, while S Yashasri was impressive on debut against DC. Whether the latter will play a game as big as this or not remains to be seen, but this is genuinely a big matter of concern for UPW.
#2 Over-reliance on their overseas stars with the bat
bit.ly/42ozm8oTahlia McGrath has kept the chase alive for @UPWarriorz with strokes like these 🔥🔥
Will she get her side over the finish line❓
Follow the match ▶️ bit.ly/42ozm8o
#TATAWPL | #GGvUPW https://t.co/yOZnYaB9my
UPW's batting lineup hasn't come to the party as well as they would have liked in WPL 2023. Quite often, they have been bailed out of strife by either Tahlia McGrath or Grace Harris, with Alyssa Healy also doing her bit in the powerplay in the early stages of the tournament.
Their Indian compatriots just haven't stood up to be counted thus far. While Kiran Navgire started the tournament with a stellar half-century against the Gujarat Giants, she has tapered off thereafter. Simran Shaikh has looked like a fish out of water, while Shweta Sehrawat has been shunted up and down the batting order.
With more experienced players such as Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya also not stepping up with the bat, this remains a massive cause of worry ahead of their Eliminator clash against MI.
#3 The form of Alyssa Healy and Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma's skills as a bowler are unquestionable, but her ability to finish matches with the bat has been called into question. Teams may need to re-think her role as an all-rounder.
The skipper and her deputy. Of course, it's imperative for them to stand tall if UPW are to stave off the MI threat and make the final of WPL 2023.
Yet, after a promising start to the tournament, Healy hasn't found her mojo going with the bat. She scored 36 runs in the last game against DC, although it wasn't her most fluent knock by any means.
As for Deepti, she simply hasn't made any noteworthy contributions with the bat so far and enters this match on the back of two wicketless encounters.
Without an iota of doubt, the duo must start afresh and put their best foot forward tonight against a well-rounded MI bowling unit. UPW can breathe easy if that happens, lest the chance of making the final of WPL 2023 remain a dream.
Will Alyssa Healy turn in a birthday special and help UPW beat MI in the Eliminator of WPL 2023? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: MI vs UPW, Eliminator, WPL 2023: 3 player battles to watch out for