WPL 2023: GUJ-W vs MI-W 1st Match - Predicted Gujarat Giants Women Playing XI vs Mumbai Indians Women

The wait is finally over. The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is all set to get underway on March 4. The opening game of the marquee tournament will witness Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians take the center stage at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.

Under the leadership of Beth Mooney, Gujarat Giants will look to play some exciting brand of cricket and trump the Mumbai side to kick-start their campaign on a high. The Gujarat franchise is studded with match-winners of the T20 circuit and it will interesting to see what playing XI they come up with in the forthcoming clash.

Here is Gujarat Giants’ predicted XI for the match against Mumbai Indians

Openers: Beth Mooney (c), Sophia Dunkley

Beth Mooney is one of the finest opening batters going around in world cricket at the moment. She has knocked the wind out of bowling attacks that have come her way and stamped her authority on the cricket field. The ace batter has featured in 83 T20Is and smashed 2350 runs at a strike rate of 124.60.

Mooney is an established opening batter and therefore, she will likely start the proceedings with the bat for Gujarat. Also, the Australian batter has been entrusted with the leadership duties of the side and she would look to perform the role to perfection.

The team management could select Sophia Dunkley to partner Mooney at the top. The England batter plays an aggressive brand of cricket and puts opposition bowlers under the pump with her flamboyant stroke play. Dunkley would look to provide the Gujarat franchise with a crackling start in the upcoming game. 

Middle Order: Sabbhineni Meghana, Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sushma Verma (wk)

Sabbhineni Meghana is one of the top-drawer batters in the Indian domestic circuit. Also, she has shown glimpses of brilliance in the international arena and played some magnificent knocks for the Women in Blue. Thus, Gujarat might slot the 26-year-old in the number three position in the upcoming encounter.

Besides Meghana, Gujarat have batting all-rounders such as Harleen Deol and Dayalan Hemalatha in the middle order. The two Indian players have shown their mettle in the international circuit in the past and would look to bring their A-game into play in the opening clash against the Mumbai Indians.

Moreover, the team management will likely slot in Sushma Verma as their premier wicketkeeper-batter. The 30-year-old is quite sharp behind the stumps and has earned a lot of praise for her immaculate glove work. She would look to put her best foot forward in the forthcoming match.

All-rounders: Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin, Sneh Rana

Gujarat Giants have top-drawer overseas all-rounders in Ashleigh Gardner and Deandra Dottin. Gardner is a marauder with the bat and has destroyed bowling attacks with her might. Also, she works smartly with the ball and provides her side with timely wickets. The 25-year-old displayed her prowess in the T20 World Cup 2023, scoring 110 runs in six games and bagging 10 wickets in those outings. 

Talking about Deandra Dottin, the swashbuckling cricketer is a courageous stroke maker and has taken top-quality bowling attacks to the cleaners with her marauding bat. Also, she has been a strike force with the ball in the shortest format of the game. The ace all-rounder would look to bring her best in the inaugural game of WPL 2023.

Besides Gardner and Dottin, Gujarat have Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana in their ranks. She has been a proven performer in the international arena and has bagged 24 wickets in 25 T20Is. Also, Rana has provided crucial knocks slotting in lower down the order. 

Bowlers: Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel

Gujarat Giants have some quality Indian fast bowlers in their arsenal but given the make-up of the side, it appears that Mansi Joshi and Monica Patel will pip the other pacers for the slot in the playing XI as far as the clash against Mumbai Indians is concerned.

Mansi is a bankable name in the Indian domestic circuit. Also, she has shown her class in the international arena and bagged 16 wickets in 14 ODIs at an economy of 3.97. The 29-year-old will look to put her best foot forward in the first game of the Women’s Premier League 2023.

Coming to Monica, the 23-year-old has shown a lot of promise in the Indian domestic circles. In the Women's Senior One Day Trophy 2021, the left-arm pacer featured in seven games and bagged nine scalps at an economy of 3.39. Her addition brings variety to the pace attack and so, Gujarat is likely to slot her in the starting XI.

Gujarat Giants Predicted Playing XI: Beth Mooney (c), Sophia Dunkley, Sabbhineni Meghana,  Deandra Dottin, Ashleigh Gardner, Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sushma Verma (wk), Sneh Rana, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel

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