Veterans, young guns rising to the occasion augur well
Having two venues, Bengaluru and New Delhi, for the second edition of the tournament has helped the Indian players test themselves under challenging and different conditions
wo venues, a nailbiting last leg and an improved showing from India’s domestic crop marked the second edition of the Women’s Premier League. Royal Challengers Bangalore, a side which was headed towards yet another midtable finish, course corrected in the best way possible, ultimately winning the title beating league leader Delhi Capitals.
This season, the Indian talent pool stepped up to the plate in crunch situations. Leg spinner Asha Sobhana, who alongside offies Shreyanka Patil and Sophie Molineux, helped RCB maintain tremendous control of run flow, particularly in the death. Mumbai Indians, which crashed out in the Eliminator, saw a star emerge in S. Sajana, whose ability to hit big sixes particularly endeared her to the crowds at games in Bengaluru and New Delhi.
In Tanuja Kanwer and 16yearold Shabnam Shakil, Gujarat Giants saw two promising talents of different ages taking to the big stage like fish to water.
There were positives for the current Indian crop in a World Cup year. Deepti Sharma found a way to add more power to her strokemaking, finishing as the
TMost Valuable Player honour with 295 runs and 10 wickets to her name. Jemimah Rodrigues’ 33ball 69 against Mumbai Indians also saw her explore a way to maintain a healthy strike rate even when not clearing the fence too much. However, the lower order batters across the board have struggled to step up in crunch situations, something that cost DC the title and has hurt India several times in the past.
Two venues allowed national team players particularly to face challenging international talent in new conditions. A change in venue also snipped the predictability of the league, which the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru’s small periphery and tossbased results began to cause. The Delhi leg was filled with nailbiting finishes in the final week, with even the final going down to the wire thanks to a track that stayed low but still had enough for batters to go big.
Much needs to be done by the UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants who find themselves at the bottom of the standings this season. Giants, who finished last in season one too, need structural changes and potentially a new captain (as skipper Beth Mooney conceded) to give this team a little bite. Warriorz need to address their pace bowling deficiency ahead of the next season.
The intensity of competition makes the prospect of another team being added an exciting one, even if it comes a few seasons later. From Shabnim Ismail, who at 35, recorded the fastest delivery recorded in the women’s game to 21yearolds like Shreyanka — new age talents who know how to scorch the stage on and off the field — the women’s franchise cricket ecosystem is in good hands.