3 UPW players who might not get a single game in WPL 2024
The UP Warriorz (UPW) are hours away from kickstarting their 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) campaign. They are all set to take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, February 24.
Alyssa Healy and company made the playoffs last year, but they didn't get much further than that as eventual champions Mumbai Indians (MI) ousted them in the Eliminator. Their squad wears a largely similar look this time around too, and most of their combination should be straightforward to pick.
UPW's squad for WPL 2024: Alyssa Healy (c), Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, S Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Danni Wyatt, Vrinda Dinesh, Poonam Khemnar, Saima Thakor, Gouher Sultana, Chamari Athapaththu.
Unfortunately, that means that a few deserving players will have to be excluded. Here are three UPW players who might not get a single game in WPL 2024.
#3 Gouher Sultana
One of UPW's surprise picks at the WPL 2024 auction, Gouher Sultana is unlikely to have a massive role to play. The left-arm spinner is a player from a generation gone by, with her last appearance for India coming back in 2014.
The Warriorz have Sophie Ecclestone and Rajeshwari Gayakwad to be their primary left-arm spinners. Sultana doesn't bat well enough to warrant being picked ahead of the latter, who played most games for the franchise last year.
#2 Danni Wyatt
UPW signed Danni Wyatt at the WPL 2024 auction much to the relief of the English batter, who was disappointed to miss out on the inaugural edition of the tournament. However, while she's now part of a squad, Wyatt might not get too many chances to show off her skills.
Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone and Grace Harris are nailed on to be the four overseas players for the Warriorz. With the likes of Vrinda Dinesh and Shweta Sehrawat ideally used in the top order, Wyatt is likely to disturb the overall team combination if she is picked.
Moreover, even if UPW are willing to select another overseas opener to partner their captain, it might be...
#1 Chamari Athapaththu
Signed as a replacement for Lauren Bell, Chamari Athapaththu is finally part of a WPL roster. She has been incredibly consistent in T20 leagues around the world and in international cricket, but she might have to wait a bit for her WPL bow.
Athapaththu is another player who likes batting in the top order, and UPW simply don't have that room to spare. The Sri Lankan would add a much-needed left-handed option while bowling a bit too, but none of the other overseas players are droppable.
Barring any injuries and stark loss of form, Athapaththu might have to be content with spending time on the sidelines.