Women’s Premier League 2024: Five players who can make a difference

It’s time again to brace up for the second edition of Women’s Premier League (WPL), set to begin in Bangalore on Friday, 23 February. The Who’s Who of the women’s game will be locked in a battle of five teams and 22 games – 20 round robin matches, one eliminator and the championship match between 23 February to 17 March.

The opening game will see the Mumbai Indians, the reigning champions, square off with last year’s runner-up Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru in a replay of last year’s final. While the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host the matches till 4 March, the action will then shift to Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The five teams in fray are: Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz.

While the inaugural edition had given birth to stars like Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque etc, who will be the movers and shakers this time? We take a look at five players who can make a difference:

Chamari Atthapattu (UP Warriorz)

When Chamari Atthapattu, the Sri Lanka captain and the second highest scorer in Women’s Big Bash League 2023 initially went unsold in the WPL 2024 auction, eyebrows were naturally raised. However, UP Warriorz hired her as a replacement for Lauren Bell – a move which should hold them in good stead.

A seasoned T20 cricketer, Chamari has a remarkable T20I career with 122 matches. In 2023, she scored 470 runs with an impressive striking rate, hitting 15 sixes—a personal record in Women’s T20Is. Meanwhile, she amassed 552 runs in 14 innings at an average of 42.46 for Sydney Thunder to emerge as the second highest scorer in Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2023 and also took nine wickets.

Acknowledged for her long-standing contribution to T20I cricket, she was honoured with the Weber WBBL09 Player of the Tournament at the Australian Cricket Awards, showcasing her impactful stint as a replacement player in the WBBL. ‘’I was not shocked, I was surprised because they didn’t pick me after the auction but these things are not in my control,’’ she said in a virtual interaction after the Warriorz picked her up. The next three weeks will be a payback time for her.

Amelia Kerr (Mumbai Indians)

Amelia Kerr, the young sensation from New Zealand, has already shown the potential to be the next big thing in women’s international cricket. A leg spinning all-rounder, Kerr’s ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes her a valuable asset. Her composure under pressure and knack for picking up crucial wickets could prove decisive in shaping the destiny of her team in WPL 2024.

In the Super Smash back home, Amelia showcased an outstanding allround performance while earning the Player of the Match award in the final. With 437 runs at an average of 72.83 and 20 wickets at an average of 8.95, Amelia played a pivotal role in Wellington Blaze securing their eighth Super Smash title.

Titas Sadhu (Delhi Capitals)

Titas Sadhu, a rising star in Indian cricket, has come up by leaps and bounds since the first edition of WPL. The tall right-arm seamer, in whom many see an early shade of Jhulan Goswamu, has been making strides with her ability to swing the ball and trouble even the most established batters.

Hailing from West Bengal, Titas has shown promise with exceptional performances in international cricket. Her remarkable spell of 4-1-6-3 in the Asian Games final and consistent clutch performances, including a three-wicket haul in a multi-nations tournament, has not gone unnoticed.

Titas’ ability to shine in high-pressure situations was evident in her T20I best of four for 17, helping India bounce back and secure a nine-wicket victory against Australia, making her the youngest woman to pick up a four-for for India in T20Is.

Shreyanka Patil (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Shreyanka Patil, a domestic talent, is set to represent the Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore. Known for her aggressive batting style and agility in the field, Patil has the potential to become the local hero of the tournament. Her ability to take on the opposition bowlers and make crucial breakthroughs with her spin bowling makes her a player to watch out for in WPL 2024.

The 21-year-old off-spinner from Bangalore delivered impressive performances in the India A set-up as she picked up five wickets in three innings against England A in the T20 series.

Her impressive performances earned her a debut cap for India in both white ball formats. Her T20I debut came on 6th December 2023 against England and her ODI debut came on 30th December 2023 against Australia. She picked up five wickets in three innings in her debut T20I series against England. Her best performance with the ball in the series came on 10th December 2023 when she returned with match figures (3/19) in the 2nd T20I.

Beth Mooney (Gujarat Giants)

If Gujarat Giants, wooden spooners last season, are looking for a turnaround – a lot of their hopes hinge on Beth Mooney – the Australian who will be leading the team. Last season, they lost Mooney with a calf strain in the first match itself where they slumped to a big defeat and the team failed to regain the momentum under stand-in captain Sneh Rana.

Mooney, the topscorer in last WBBL with 557 runs and had carried her form in the T20I series against South Africa, is expected to be a vital cog in the wheel in their batting. The 2024 player auction saw Giants splurging a whopping Rs 4.5 crore – the highest among the five franchises, for 10 players.

They spent Rs one crore to net Phoebe Litchfield to bolster their middle order, while also spending Rs 2 crore for left-arm pacer Kashvee Gautam – making her the costliest buy of the auction. However, Kashvee has now been ruled out with an injury.