RCB vs UPW Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2023 match?
How many people predicted that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) would be stuck with the wooden spoon three games into their 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) campaign?
Smriti Mandhana and Co. kicked off their tournament with a loss to the Delhi Capitals (DC), and things have only gotten worse since then. The Mumbai Indians (MI) hammered them by nine wickets before the Gujarat Giants (GG) held on for a 11-run win.
RCB will next take on the UP Warriorz (UPW) in Match 8 of WPL 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, March 10.
UPW haven't hit their straps so far in the competition. Grace Harris pulled their game against GG out of the fire, but the Warriorz weren't as lucky against DC. The Capitals rode on the back of a stellar all-round show from Jess Jonassen to limit UP to two points from two matches.
MI and DC appear to be the early favorites to finish in the top two. With GG breathing down their necks, UPW need to notch up another win to keep themselves ahead of the pack.
Can UPW consign RCB to another WPL 2023 loss? Or will Bangalore dig deep and put their first points on the board?
WPL 2023, RCB vs UPW: Smriti Mandhana and Co. desperate for their first win of the campaign
Smriti Mandhana has been a massive disappointment in WPL 2023. The RCB skipper's shot selection, team selection, bowling changes and field placements have all been sub-par. She needs to immediately find a way to sort out her issues against off-spin.
UPW have an excellent off-spinner in Deepti Sharma, but the star Indian all-rounder hasn't been at her best. She picked up two wickets in the first game but went wicketless and leaked runs in the second. The southpaw, batting at No. 5, has also gotten stuck at the crease and affected the innings' momentum.
The Warriorz desperately need a solid opening partnership. Alyssa Healy hasn't been able to set the stage on fire yet, while the uncapped Shweta Sehrawat has looked slightly out of her depth despite her immense talent.
UPW will take heart from the batting displays of Tahlia McGrath, who showed why she's ranked the #1 T20I batter in the world with a stunning unbeaten 90 against DC. KP Navgire and Grace Harris have made important contributions too.
If the Warriorz bring the big-hitting Harris back into the playing XI, they will receive a welcome boost. The move to play Shabnim Ismail against Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma didn't yield any tangible dividends, and Harris should be back in the mix for the South African pacer.
Mandhana loves high pace, and playing Ismail might not be a productive strategy for the Warriorz.
RCB, on the other hand, might consider fielding Dane van Niekerk at the expense of Megan Schutt, who hasn't looked very threatening with the ball in hand. Preeti Bose has been a touch expensive as well, and the left-arm spinner could be sacrificed for Komal Zanzad if Bangalore do decide to drop Schutt.
Overall, UPW are better-poised to come away with two points. They haven't come together as a unit just yet, but neither have RCB. Healy might just further worsen Mandhana's captaincy record.
Prediction: UPW to win Match 8 of WPL 2023.