3 reasons why MI women can dominate WPL like the men's team
The Mumbai Indians (MI) women's team are dominating the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL), having advanced to the playoffs with a huge chunk of the league stage still remaining.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side are yet to taste defeat in the tournament, having won their first five matches.
The women's team kickstarted their WPL campaign with a mammoth win over the Gujarat Giants (GG) and have not turned back since. They have gone from strength to strength, rarely putting a step wrong so far.
While some may say they have peaked early, the massive margin of their wins does suggest that they have what it takes to go all the way through.
Right from Harmanpreet's leadership to Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews' all-round ability to the unexpected surprise in the form of Saika Ishaque, MI are on a rampant run right now, something which could not only end in silverware this season but could serve as templates for themselves and other franchises moving forward.
The MI men's team, meanwhile, have set some high standards despite a rocky start. Since 2013, they have won five IPL titles and have earned the tag of 'serial winners'.
Despite their bottom-placed finish last season, MI are still one of the most feared teams going around. Since Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy, it is fair to say that they have dominated the league in terms of their presence and performance.
On that note, here are three reasons why the MI women's team can dominate the WPL like their male counterparts in the IPL.
#1 MI have a seasoned captain in Harmanpreet Kaur
After losing out on Smriti Mandhana right at the start of the inaugural WPL auction, the franchise made a key acquisition by making the winning bid for India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
She was unsurprisingly appointed as the captain of the franchise as well and is working wonders right now.
The experienced campaigner, who was the first individual to amass 100 T20I appearances, also has credible leadership experience under her belt. She has been ushering in a new generation of players quite well since the departures of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami from the national team setup.
It took the men's team a while to find the right captain after experimenting with Harbhajan Singh, Shaun Pollock, Sachin Tendulkar, and Ricky Ponting before eventually choosing Rohit Sharma.
However, by the looks of it, the Women's team have cracked the formula at the very first attempt itself.
#2 They have built a well-balanced squad with reasonable depth
MI had a shrewd strategy heading into the auction and were right in the mix of things constantly.
As previously mentioned, they secured the services of Harmanpreet Kaur and had to fight tooth and nail to rope in Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is proving to be worth every penny.
While they played a huge gamble on spending an astronomical sum on Yastika Bhatia, it has largely paid off as she has forged an excellent pair with Hayley Matthews, who was a sensational last-gasp buy at the auction table.
All of this, coupled with the handy inclusions of Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, and Saika Ishaque, have given them a formidable well-balanced squad.
In terms of depth, they have players like Chloe Tryon and Heather Graham as well along with a slew of Indian talent.
#3 The franchise owners/management have cracked the formula to winning titles
Irrespective of the squad and their talent, the name 'Mumbai Indians' radiates a certain aura.
The owners of the franchise are among the most prominent names in the country and have had to work extensively in the IPL's formative years to be a threat in the competition.
While it took them a while, they certainly cracked the formula and have been on a ruthless run ever since. They established such a name that it was unfathomable to digest the fact that they finished dead last in the previous edition.
They are not a franchise usually associated with failings, and all of the credit for that must go to management as well as the owners.
One can assemble the greatest playing XI on the field, but if they do not have the right unit functioning behind them, it is almost certain that the set of players will not perform to their best.
Will the MI women's team make a habit out of winning titles like the men's side? Let us know what you think.
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