DC vs MI, Final, WPL 2023: 3 player battles to watch out for
Arguably the two best teams in WPL 2023 in Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have made it to the inaugural final to be held at the Brabourne (CCI) on Sunday. DC finished first in the league phase and got a direct pass into the final, while MI thumped the UP Warriorz in the Eliminator to bag the second berth.
Meg Lanning has had an upper hand over Harmanpreet Kaur whenever Australia have taken on India in the knockout games recently, be it the 2020 T20 World Cup final, the 2022 Commonwealth Games final or even the 2023 T20 World Cup semifinal.
However, Harmanpreet will also know that her team had their moments in each of those games. If Mumbai are able to capitalize on their moments in the WPL 2023 final, they have a great chance of becoming the first winners of the competition.
It will certainly not be easy as DC will take confidence from the way they thrashed MI the last time these two teams met. There will naturally be some match-ups among big-game players who will want to step up on the big stage.
On that note, let's take a look at three such match-ups that could potentially determine the result of the WPL 2023 final:
#3 Nat Sciver-Brunt vs Marizanne Kapp
#MIvDC is also about the two best allrounders in women's cricket right now, IMO, and two top contenders for the PotT: Sciver-Brunt vs Kapp.
The teams are heavily reliant on them. The better performer on Sunday will hand her side the edge.
#WPLFinal | #WPL | #WPL2023
Nat Sciver-Brunt didn't have the best of league phases as she was inconsistent with the bat. However, the England star turned up when it mattered the most, smashing 72 runs off just 38 balls against UPW in the Eliminator and winning the Player of the Match award.
While Sciver-Brunt will be a threat to DC, they have a world-class all-rounder of their own in Marizanne Kapp. She has shown in other leagues around the world that the final brings the best out of her.
The South African veteran has already caused a lot of damage with the new ball and had also dismissed Sciver-Brunt for a golden duck the last time the two teams met. The showdown between the two star all-rounders is certainly worth watching.
#2 Harmanpreet Kaur vs Jess Jonassen
- Captain of Mumbai.
- 244 runs.
- 40.66 avg & 144.37 Sr.
- Leading into the final.
Captain, leader, Legend, Harmanpreet Kaur. https://t.co/4JF3GSeCyk
Harmanpreet Kaur, the batter, loves the big stage and would certainly be disappointed to have missed out on scoring big in the Eliminator. However, with history beckoning, the MI skipper will be keen to let her bat do the talking.
Meg Lanning has been on the receiving end of Harmanpreet's masterclass in quite a few crunch games and will want to ensure the right-hander doesn't fire in the final. For this, she may turn to left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who has tasted quite a bit of success against Harmanpreet.
Jonassen has conceded 113 runs off 101 balls that she has bowled to Harmanpreet Kaur in all T20s. However, she has also dismissed her five times and will be keen to get her the sixth time in the WPL 2023 final.
#1 Meg Lanning vs Issy Wong
Issy Wong on song! What a spell! The first ever hat-trick for Mumbai Indians in the history of IPL and WPL. Congratulations MI on securing the final spot.
https://t.co/Rvp0liOJMK
MI would be delighted to see Issy Wong firing all cylinders going into the WPL 2023 final. The England pacer picked up the first WPL hat trick in the Eliminator and showed that she is capable of turning the game on its head with the ball in hand.
The opening partnership between Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma will definitely be a threat to MI, especially the DC skipper who is enjoying an incredible tournament. Lanning holds the Orange Cap, having scored 310 runs so far, and will want to add to her tally to help DC win the WPL 2023 final.
However, the Australian legend has had a dicey record against Wong, having scored just 14 runs off 21 balls and has also been dismissed once. This could well tempt Mumbai to give Wong the license to bowl aggressively at Lanning upfront and try and send the DC skipper back early.