MI vs UPW Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2023 match?
As the league phase of the 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) reaches its business end, the UP Warriorz (UPW) find themselves in a tricky situation.
Alyssa Healy and Co. will face off against the unbeaten Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 15 of the tournament at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday, March 18. If they lose, and history dictates that sides who play MI generally do, they could find themselves scrambling to finish in the top three and make the playoffs.
UPW suffered a disappointing loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their last outing. Their top order was blown away by the RCB pacers under the lights, and not even another Grace Harris blitz could save them from a fairly comprehensive defeat.
MI, on the other hand, easily brushed aside the Gujarat Giants (GG) in their previous game. They are the only side to have officially confirmed their spot in the playoffs, and a top-of-the-table finish has almost become a foregone conclusion for Harmanpreet Kaur and Co.
The last time these two sides met in WPL 2023, MI ran out winners by an eight-wicket margin. Saika Ishaque scalped three wickets, while Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet made important batting contributions.
Can UPW somehow pull off the seemingly impossible and hand Mumbai their first defeat of the campaign? Or will MI preserve their unbeaten record and plunge the Warriorz's playoff hopes into doubt?
WPL 2023, MI vs UPW: Can Alyssa Healy and Co. topple the table-toppers?
The fact that this is an afternoon game might play into UPW's strengths. They have two world-class spinners in Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma, and although Rajeshwari Gayakwad has had an underwhelming tournament so far, she is lethal on her day.
There's no doubting that UPW are heavily dependent on their overseas batting trio of Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath to do the bulk of the run-scoring. Healy and Harris notched up fifties against MI in the reverse fixture, but both failed miserably in the previous game against RCB.
MI have been able to register comprehensive victories in each of their last two matches despite Hayley Matthews' red-hot form waning slightly. Yastika Bhatia has come into her own at the top of the order, and Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet have been supremely consistent.
The bowling attack hasn't looked overly threatening lately without Pooja Vastrakar, but UPW have clear deficiencies that can be exploited. The Warriorz's Indian batters haven't been at their best despite the odd contribution. The gulf in skill between them and the international bowlers they've faced has also been evident.
UPW have more riding on this clash than MI and will welcome an afternoon fixture. They have a genuine chance of taking two points away from the encounter, but their batting unit hasn't inspired enough confidence to safely claim that they'll be able to win.
MI are the slight favorites, although this one could just as easily be their first defeat in the WPL.
Prediction: MI to win Match 15 of WPL 2023.