Batting in focus for Mumbai and Capitals
Both Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals head into their penultimate group-stage fixture with a particular focus on their batting despite being two of the best sides in the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Capitals' batting floundered in their previous game against Gujarat Giants in a 148-run chase. Their batting mantra has been to go hard and that has come off whenever either of Shafali Verma or Meg Lanning has stayed in the middle for long. Capitals have used allrounder Arundhati Reddy's bowling services in only two out of the four games she has played and she batted only in their last game. A case perhaps then for getting in an extra batter?
Mumbai, on the other hand, have two batters among the top five run-getters in the tournament so far, and both of them - Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet Kaur - bat in the top order. They were hampered by a lack of firepower down the order on a slowish DY Patil track against UP Warriorz. Not a bad time for South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon, who bowls left-arm spin, to get a game.
Players to watch
Spinning tracks would increasingly mean a larger role for Amelia Kerr. She managed to get the better of an on-song Tahlia McGrath with a googly in the last game. She has had the upper hand against Lanning in internationals and could yet again challenge the Capitals captain.
Capitals have benefitted from Jess Jonassen's all-round efforts. She has played a few handy knocks and also picked up five wickets.
Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians (possible): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Issy Wong/Chloe Tryon, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Humaira Kazi 9 Dhara Gujjar, 10 Jintimani Kalita, 11 Saika Ishaque
Delhi Capitals (possible): 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Alice Capsey/Laura Harris, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Arundhati Reddy/Jasia Akhter, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Shikha Pandey, 11 Poonam Yadav/Tara Norris
Stats and Trivia
Mumbai and Capitals' bowlers have the best economy rates while bowling in powerplays - 5.61 and 6.27 respectively
The two teams have also taken the most wickets in the powerplay. Mumbai's bowlers have taken 16 wickets combined while Capitals' bowlers have 11
Quotes
"I think our bowlers did a fantastic job. Anytime you get 127 or so, it is a hard job to defend but our bowlers did really well to take the game to the last over."
Mumbai Indians allrounder Hayley Matthews on their bowlers' efforts after the game against UP Warriorz
"Something we are working hard on is improving the last five or six overs, when we are closing out as a bowling unit. We are also tinkering with our side and the [batting] order."
Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty after their loss against Gujarat Giants
