Two seasons, two finals but no title – Delhi Capitals has had its fair share of near misses and heartbreaks.
The Meg Lanning-led side, eager to put behind its inexorable runner-up fate, will have the near-perfect opponent to begin its Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 campaign against Mumbai Indians.
With an even head-to-head record in the league stage games, barring the one-off 2023 final which saw Mumbai lift the inaugural trophy, the battle between Delhi’s multi-pronged bowling attack and Mumbai’s powerful batting line-up will be a tantalising contest.
DC boasts an impressive pace arsenal with a handful of Indian stars, ably led by experienced South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp – the team’s joint-highest wicket-taker last season (11). Australia’s Jess Jonassen, who also took 11 scalps, and spinner Radha Yadav (10) have delivered game-changing spells and will hope to turn things around.
Though Arundhati Reddy suffered a setback after being dropped from the Indian side during the recent series, she will hope to impress again and use this season as a launchpad to get back into national reckoning.
Meanwhile, Capitals’ top-order has consistently been the biggest strength of the team, with Lanning, Shafali Verma and Alice Capsey providing strong starts. Jemimah Rodrigues, whose WPL 2024 wasn’t the finest, will get a boost from her recent purple patch on the international scene.
While Jonassen and Kapp have proven to be handy all-rounders, the focus will be on how the former Australian skipper will pick her pace-heavy bowlers. A good problem for Lanning will be Sarah Bryce’s addition to the squad – the Irish wicketkeeper, if brought into the playing XI, enables the option to opt for five overseas players.
But what Capitals will have to be wary of is the damage Mumbai’s batting depth can wreak.
In skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai has the fourth-highest run-getter in the WPL, who will hope to shake off an injury lay-off.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR/ The Hindu
In skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai has the fourth-highest run-getter in the WPL, who will hope to shake off an injury lay-off.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR/ The Hindu
In skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai has the fourth-highest run-getter in the WPL, who will hope to shake off an injury lay-off. Alongside her will be a tough bunch of veteran international all-rounders including Hayley Matthews, Chloe Tryon, Natalie Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr.
A key performer last time around, South African Shabnim Ismail’s searing pace will be a force to be reckoned with. However, Mumbai will miss the services of Pooja Vastrakar due to an injury – while spinner Parunika Sisodia was named as her replacement, auction buy Akshita Maheshwari, a seam-bowling allrounder, is a like-for-like replacement.
Yastika Bhatia, who will be playing in her hometown, will face stiff competition for the wicketkeeper’s spot with young G Kamalini, fresh off a triumphant U-19 World Cup campaign.
The 16-year-old, bought by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs. 1.6 crore in the auction, will find a familiar face in the opposition camp — Niki Prasad, who Delhi picked before she led India to a second successive World Cup win.
They will be two among many youngsters who will be vying for a spot in a roster full of showstoppers. A high-scoring match is almost guaranteed given the two 200+ scores the opening match witnessed.