WPL 2023: Best XI of the tournament

The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was done and dusted on March 26. After over three weeks of tussle, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians trumped Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the final showdown at the Brabourne Stadium and grabbed the silverware.

T20 stars from around the globe entered the WPL 2023 and took the marquee tournament with their performances. However, some among them were consistent with their showings throughout the season. Let us form a playing XI consisting of players who were at their best in the T20 carnival. 

Here is the Best XI of the tournament:

1. Hayley Matthews 

Hayley Matthews has been a prominent figure in the international arena. She has scored 1915 runs in 75 ODIs at an average of 26.97 and bagged 89 wickets at an economy of 4.06. In the shortest format, she has scored 1581 runs in 82 T20Is at a strike rate of 104.15 and picked up 78 wickets at an economy of 5.80.

Matthews set the WPL 2023 ablaze with her incredible performances. She featured in 10 matches for Mumbai Indians and amassed 271 runs at a strike rate of 126.04. On the bowling front, she was the Purple Cap holder of the season, with 16 wickets to her name at an economy of 5.94, which includes a sensational three-wicket haul in the summit clash.

Matthews displayed her all-round brilliance in the encounter against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the fourth match of WPL 2023. She took three wickets and gave away just 28 runs in her full quota of four overs to restrict Bangalore to a total of 155. Then the West Indies all-rounder played a blistering knock of 77* runs off 38 deliveries to help MI hunt down the target in just 14.3 overs. Due to her exquisite performances in the inaugural season of the T20 carnival, Hayley was adjudged as the ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the tournament.