RCB vs MI Dream11 prediction: 3 differentials you can pick in today’s WPL 2024 match - 2nd March, 2024
The Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Mumbai Indians square off in Match 9 of WPL 2024 on Saturday, March 2, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Both teams came into this match after humbling defeats, suffered at the hands of DC and UPW, respectively. After winning both their opening contests, RCB faced a strong DC side in their pursuit of a third win and a lackluster bowling performance let them down.
While Smriti Mandhana returned to form with a blistering 43-ball 74 in the 195-run chase, the rest of the team couldn't provide her with enough support as they eventually lost by 25 runs.
Similarly, MI also lost their third encounter after wins in the first two, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur missing the game due to a niggle. A sub-par bowling effort from MI and Kiran Navgire's assault with the bat for the Warriorz condemned MI to a crushing defeat.
Both teams will want to end their Bangalore leg with a win, and in front of what should be a packed Chinnaswamy Stadium, we're in for a cracking contest.
On that note, let's look at the top three Dream11 differentials for this match.
#3 Asha Shobana (BOWL) (RCB)
Uncapped leg-spinner Asha Shobana got RCB going in WPL 2023 as her five-wicket haul against the UP Warriorz turned the game on its head, enabling Smriti Mandhana's side to open their season with a win.
However, going wicketless in the next two matches has seen her ownership drop to a differential level, and this makes her a quality Dream11 differential in this match.
A very accurate and tight leg-spinner, Asha is an ideal bowler for this kind of match, especially against the MI batters who will look to take on the bowlers and won't hold back. While there is a possibility that she will go for runs, there's an even better chance of her getting back among the wickets in this match.
Asha has been really unlucky not to have more than five wickets to her name right now, and on what should be a spin-friendly surface, she should haul big.
#2 Shabnim Ismail (BOWL) (MI)
After getting MI off to brilliant starts with the ball in both of MI's opening matches, Shabnim Ismail sat out the third game against UPW along with Harmanpreet Kaur due to a niggle, and watched her side crumble to a seven-wicket defeat with 21 balls to spare.
While Issy Wong didn't have a bad outing, Shabnim should be fast-tracked back to the playing XI if she's fit, and if she's there in the XI, she's almost a Dream11 must-have. The Proteas pacer has picked up four wickets in two matches at a stellar bowling average of 10.50 and an economy rate of 5.25.
She's one of the best Dream11 options for this match if she makes it to the playing XI.
#1 Nadine de Klerk (ALL) (RCB)
South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk made her WPL debut against the Delhi Capitals on Thursday for RCB, with Ellyse Perry missing out due to an illness. There's a good chance that RCB doesn't take a chance on the Australian, and that should see Nadine get another opportunity, especially with her doing a solid job with the ball on debut.
It was her medium pace that picked up some of the biggest wickets in the DC camp as she accounted for both Jemimah Rodrigues and the dangerous Marizanne Kapp, finishing with 2/35 in her four overs.
While she didn't get enough opportunity to bat, the fact that she finished her full bowling quota when RCB used a whopping eight bowlers bodes well for her as a Dream11 pick.
De Klerk's a risky yet potentially highly rewarding Dream11 selection.