Predicting the 3 highest run-scorers in WPL 2024 ft. Nat Sciver-Brunt
The second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), will be held from February 23 to March 17. The tournament will kick off with a clash between last year’s finalists Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals Women at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In last year’s summit clash, Mumbai hammered Delhi by seven wickets at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
WPL 2024 will be played at two venues - Bengaluru and Delhi. There will be a total of 22 matches that will be played as part of the T20 league, including the Eliminator and the final. Bengaluru will host the first 11 matches of the tournament, while the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will host the remaining 11, including the knockout clashes.
While Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals dominated the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League, UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Gujarat Giants will be keen to come up with a much better effort this time.
There were some fantastic batting performances in the T20 league last year. On that note, here’s predicting the 3 highest run-scorers in WPL 2024.
#1 Nat Sciver-Brunt
England’s seasoned all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt was the second-leading run-getter in WPL 2023, just behind Meg Lanning.
In 10 innings for Mumbai Indians, she smashed 332 runs at an average of 66.40 and a strike rate of 140.08. She hammered as many as three half-centuries, with a best of 72* off 38 balls against UP Warriorz.
With Lanning having retired from international cricket, she might take some time to discover her rhythm in the WPL. Sciver-Brunt thus stands a good chance of finishing as the leading run-scorer in WPL 2024. With her aggressive batting skills, she is one of the most dangerous hitters in the women’s game at present
In an impressive T20I career, Sciver-Brunt has notched up 2,323 runs in 113 matches at an average of 27.01 and a strike rate of 115.57, with 13 half-centuries.
#2 Beth Mooney
Australian opener Beth Mooney was appointed Gujarat Giants captain for the WPL 2023 season.
However, her season ended in the very first match as she sustained a calf strain after playing just three balls as an opener in the chase against Mumbai Indians. Sneh Rana was subsequently named captain, but could not do much as Gujarat Giants endured a disastrous opening season. They finished last with just two wins and six losses from eight games.
Mooney is back this season and will be hungry to make a big impact. The 30-year-old has a wonderful record in T20Is for Australia. In 95 matches, she has smashed 2,764 at an average of 41.25 and a strike rate of 123.50, with two hundreds and 22 fifties.
Mooney was highly impressive in the T20I series against South Africa, smacking 72* off 57 in the first game in Canberra and 82 off 55 in the third match in Hobart. The experienced keeper-batter will be keen to carry the great form into WPL 2024.
#3 Smriti Mandhana
There were massive hopes from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana in the inaugural edition of the WPL.
However, she failed to live up to the expectations. The pressure seemed to have gotten to her and the fact that the team wasn’t doing well did not help matters. In eight innings, she managed only 149 runs at an average of 18.62 and a strike rate of 111.19, with a best of 37.
While Mandhana had a poor season last year, she is too good a player to have another lean run. The experienced Indian opener has featured in 128 T20I matches for the Women in Blue and has scored over 3,000 runs at an average of 27.46 and a strike rate of 121.53, with as many as 23 half-centuries.
Expect the elegant left-handed batter to be among the top run-getters in the 2024 edition of the Women’s Premier League. It would be a huge disappointment for fans if that is not the case.