By The Women’s Premier League’s second season is set to kick off on Friday (February 23) with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing off against runners-up Delhi Capitals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the tournament:
Venue: The tournament will be split between Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium and Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, with Bangalore hosting the first leg until March 4, followed by games in Delhi starting from March 5. The Eliminator and the Final will also take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, on March 15 and 17 respectively.
Tournament Format: The five-team competition will feature 22 games, including the knockouts, with each team playing the others twice in a double round-robin format. The table-toppers will advance straight to the final, while the second and third-placed teams will compete in the Eliminator for a spot in the final.
Match Timings: All matches will start at 7:30 PM IST, with no double-headers scheduled. There will be one rest day before each of the two knockouts.
Rule Changes: The tournament will feature the usual coin toss, with no bat flip as in the WBBL. Each team will have two reviews per innings, including for wides and no-balls.
Auction Highlights: Some notable auction highlights include Kashvee Gautam becoming the highest-paid uncapped player, Annabel Sutherland and Shabnim Ismail fetching significant deals, and Phoebe Litchfield making her WPL debut.
Player Updates: Chamari Athapaththu was initially set to miss out but was later included as a replacement, while players like Deandra Dottin, Devika Vaidya, and Kim Garth failed to find new clubs.
International Player Availability: Heather Knight and Lauren Bell will be unavailable post-auction due to England’s bilateral series in New Zealand, with Nadine de Klerk and Chamari Athapaththu replacing them.
Injuries: Kashvee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, and Lauren Cheatle have withdrawn due to injuries, with Sayali Satghare, Shradda Pokharkar, and Lea Tahuhu replacing them respectively.
Coaching Changes: Beth Mooney returns as Gujarat Giants captain, while Michael Klinger and Luke Williams have been appointed as new coaches for Giants and RCB respectively.
The Women’s Premier League promises to be an exciting competition, showcasing some of the best talents in women’s cricket.
