3 DC players who might not get a single game in WPL 2024
After reaching the final of the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL), the Delhi Capitals (DC) will look to go all the way in 2024.
Meg Lanning and Co. finished at the top of the points table last year to secure direct passage to the summit clash where they fell to the Mumbai Indians (MI). The two teams will lock horns in the opening game of the 2024 WPL at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, Feb. 23.
The Capitals have a good squad, one that they strengthened at the WPL 2024 auction. However, what that means is that a few names will be consigned to the bench for most - if not all - of the campaign.
DC's squad for WPL 2024: Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Laura Harris, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning (c), Minnu Mani, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Titas Sadhu, Annabel Sutherland, Aparna Mondal (wk), Ashwani Kumari.
Here are three DC players who might not get a single game in WPL 2024.
#3 Laura Harris
A powerful striker of the ball just like her sister, Laura Harris was part of the WPL last year without getting a game. Unfortunately, the same could continue this season as well.
DC's frontline overseas options are Meg Lanning, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp. Only four are going to play among these five, pushing Harris further down the pecking order.
Delhi need firepower in the middle order, but not at the expense of a bowling option. So even though Harris can tonk the ball a long way, she might not make the grade.
#2 Poonam Yadav
Poonam Yadav is the only leg-spinner on DC's roster, but she might not be in the thick of things during WPL 2024. A bowler whose pace and general accuracy haven't been able to keep up with the demands of the shortest format, she might be overlooked when the Capitals select their XI.
Poonam played three matches in WPL 2023, bowling just three overs in those games. She went for 25 runs and didn't pick up a single wicket, displaying Lanning's lack of faith in her bowling.
Poonam also doesn't offer much in the other two departments, and DC are likely to field only finger-spinners in their bowling attack.
#1 Jess Jonassen
Jess Jonassen was one of DC's most important players in WPL 2023. She took on a good amount of bowling responsibility while also batting up the order to break up the right-handers when needed.
However, things have changed ahead of WPL 2024, with Delhi having acquired Annabel Sutherland for a considerable amount at the auction. The fast-bowling all-rounder is certain to feature for last year's finalists, given what she brings to the table and the rich vein of form she's in.
Moreover, DC can afford to leave Jonassen out since Radha Yadav offers a left-arm option, even if the latter isn't anywhere near accurate enough to bowl at the death. With the emergence of Titas Sadhu, pacers should be able to handle matters in the end overs.
Jonassen's usage has declined at the international level recently, and the same pattern might plague her at the franchise level as well.