WPL 2023: 3 surprise picks for Dream11 Fantasy teams for GG vs DC
Gujarat Giants and the Delhi Capitals lock horns in the ninth match of WPL 2023 on Saturday, March 11, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Both sides enter this match on the back of contrasting results. The Gujarat Giants registered a 11-run win over RCB, while DC got thumped by the Mumbai Indians.
The Giants finally got their batting order right, with Sophia Dunkley playing a blinder to get them off to a perfect start. The England opener scored a 28-ball 65 and injected plenty of momentum into the GG innings, which No. 3 batter Harleen Deol carried on with. She has batted really well in this tournament and showed her class with a 45-ball 67 to hold the innings together.
After scoring 201/7 in 20 overs, their bowlers did well to pick up regular wickets even as expensive overs from Annabel Sutherland and Kim Garth gave RCB a shot at making a comeback. However, Ashleigh Gardner delivered the crucial moments with a three-wicket haul as they registered a much-needed win.
Meanwhile, in the first low-scoring contest of the season, DC absolutely rolled over against the Mumbai Indians, courtesy of an abject batting performance. On a decent wicket, but not as high-scoring as some earlier ones, Saika Ishaque's brilliant form continued as she accounted for Shafali Verma early on.
DC couldn't recover from that early blow as the wickets kept falling, with the collapse speeding up post Meg Lanning's dismissal. They were bowled out for a mere 105 runs, which MI chased with relative ease.
While DC will be favorites for this clash on paper, it'll be interesting to see what impact their recent results will have on this match. On that note, let's take a look at three differential fantasy cricket picks.
#3 Laura Wolvaardt (GG)
The Giants confirmed that captain Beth Mooney has been ruled out of the tournament and signed South African opener Laura Wolvaardt as her replacement. A world-class batter, it was a huge surprise when a player of Wolvaardt's caliber went unsold at the auction. While it's still unclear how, if she comes into the team and slots in as one of the openers, she could be a really solid differential.
A run accumulator who likes to build her innings at a steady pace, Wolvaardt's off-side game is one of the best in world cricket, with her cover drives sublime to watch. She can hold one end down and play some big knocks, especially on these batter-friendly tracks.
It might be tough fitting her into the playing XI somehow, but if GG manages to do so, she could be an excellent differential.
#2 Sneh Rana (GG)
Gujarat Giants captain Sneh Rana could be a useful differential on a gradually slowing wicket at the DY Patil Stadium. She is backing her off-spin more and allowing herself to bowl the full quota of overs and she could have some success with the ball against the Delhi Capitals.
Hayley Matthews ripped through the DC middle-order with her off-spin and it showed how few batting opportunities they have gotten so far. Sneh Rana could also exploit their vulnerabilities and end up with a neat haul of wickets at the end of this game.
#1 Alice Capsey (DC)
Alice Capsey is a player I have mentioned in previous DC games, but she makes our list once again due to her continuing relatively low ownership. This might be due to DC's defeat against MI, but she once again showcased her high points potential.
She walked out to bat at No. 3, which is her usual batting position for the England national team. While she couldn't make much of an impact, only scoring a seven-ball 6, she could soon find form and when she gets going, she's difficult to stop. She also bowled an impressive little spell with the ball, finishing with figures of 1/14 in three overs.
While she's had a couple of small hauls so far, this could be the game in which she finally explodes.