WPL 2024 Fantasy League: Best Fantasy XI for Match 3 - GG vs MI | WPL Fantasy Tips
The Gujarat Giants take on the Mumbai Indians in the third match of WPL 2024 on Sunday, February 25, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
After Ekta Bisht was benched for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second match, I had to make an extra transfer to bring Renuka Singh in, with Vrinda Dinesh my uncapped player of choice, instead of Disha Kasat, who also didn't make it to the playing XI.
Players playing in Match 2: Tahlia McGrath (UPW) (10 Credits), Smriti Mandhana (RCB) (10.5 Credits), Sophie Ecclestone (BOWL) (UPW) (10 Credits), Renuka Singh (BOWL) (RCB) (9.5 Credits), Shweta Sehrawat (BAT) (UPW) (7 Credits), and Vrinda Dinesh (BAT) (UPW) (6.5 Credits).
Captain: Tahlia McGrath. | Vice-Captain: Sophie Ecclestone.
Total Points: 614.
I already have five players from this fixture and plan to use my 2X Booster in the upcoming WPL match.
Transfer Deadline: 07:30 pm IST; Sunday, February 25.
Note: The suggested team is subject to change depending on the toss or other unexpected team news. Any such changes will be updated for the next match day.
Transfers
Transfers Made: 5 | Transfers Remaining: 43.
1) Sophie Ecclestone (BOWL) (UPW) (10 Credits) - OUT | Ashleigh Gardner (ALL) (GG) (10 Credits) - IN
2) Tahlia McGrath (UPW) (10 Credits) - OUT | Harmanpreet Kaur (BAT) (MI) (10 Credits) - IN
3) Smriti Mandhana (RCB) (10.5 Credits) - OUT | Harleen Deol (ALL) (GG) (8.5 Credits) - IN
4) Shweta Sehrawat (BAT) (UPW) (7 Credits) - OUT | Veda Krishnamurthy (BAT) (GG) (8 Credits) - IN
5) Vrinda Dinesh (BAT) (UPW) (6.5 Credits) - OUT | Phoebe Litchfield (BAT) (GG) (9 Credits) - IN
6) Renuka Singh (BOWL) (RCB) (9.5 Credits) - OUT | Shabnam Shakil (BOWL) (GG) (6 Credits) - IN. (Uncapped Transfer)
WPL Fantasy 2024 has serious problems, and it mainly has to do with the sheer lack of options outside the all-rounder category. With only four slots available to pick all-rounders, it becomes really tough to select teams, especially in matches like this.
Harmanpreet Kaur is the only MI player I can add to this team since I'm locked out of getting Shabnim Ismail and Amelia Kerr because of the overseas slot and any other player because all of them are all-rounders.
From the Giants, Ashleigh Gardner is a non-negotiable, and she takes up a valuable overseas and all-rounder slot. I'm also picking Harleen Deol over someone like Pooja Vastrakar as the latter hasn't bowled nearly enough as she should, and with the GG batter having a solid WPL 2023, I'm backing her to come good this time around as well.
Shabnam Shakil is a solid uncapped player who fills the bowlers' slot, but the real issue comes in filling up the batters' quota.
I really want to have Beth Mooney, but apart from Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy, there isn't another Indian batter who's likely to feature in the playing XI, and it forces me to spend an overseas slot on picking Phoebe Litchfield or Laura Wolvaardt.
Only one of them is likely to feature in the playing XI, and after shelling out a huge sum to acquire her services at the auction, it's likely to be the young Australian.
WPL Fantasy 2024 - Best Fantasy XI for Match 3 - GG vs MI: Thoughts and Captaincy Tips
Players playing in Match 3: Yastika Bhatia (MI) (8.5 Credits), Hayley Matthews (ALL) (MI) (10.5 Credits), Saika Ishaque (BOWL) (MI) (8 Credits), Nat Sciver-Brunt (ALL) (MI) (10.5 Credits), Meghna Singh (GG) (BOWL) (7.5 Credits), Shabnam Shakil (BOWL) (GG) (6 Credits), Phoebe Litchfield (BAT) (GG) (9 Credits), Veda Krishnamurthy (BAT) (GG) (8 Credits), Harleen Deol (ALL) (GG) (8.5 Credits), Harmanpreet Kaur (BAT) (MI) (10 Credits), and Ashleigh Gardner (ALL) (GG) (10 Credits).
Booster Used: Double Up (2X)
Despite the presence of eleven players for this match, my captaincy consideration extends only to Harmanpreet Kaur and the three overseas all-rounders. Hayley Matthews had a rough outing against DC, but she was the MVP in the last WPL season, and she could play more of a role with a ball as well in this match.
Nat Sciver-Brunt seems a dependable captaincy pick, and so does Ashleigh Gardner. With Gardner the only captaincy option I'm considering from the Giants, she's sure to be either my C or VC, with the other likely a toss-up between Matthews and Sciver-Brunt.