Picking a combined MI and UPW playing 11 for WPL 2024 ft. Harmanpreet Kaur and Grace Harris

Defending champions Mumbai Indians will square off against Alyssa Healy’s UP Warriorz in the sixth match of the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Wednesday, February 28, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

While MI have been in tremendous form this season, UPW have had contrasting results in their matches. Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. have clinched victories in both the matches played so far, whereas the Women in Yellow and Purple have lost two consecutive games.

The upcoming game will be a crucial one for UP Warriorz as they look to open their account this season and grab their first two points. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians will look to make it three in a row to continue their winning streak and remain unbeaten in the tournament.

With both teams gearing up for a fierce clash, let us look at the combined XI of Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz ahead of the sixth game of the WPL 2024:

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Top-order: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt

With UPW openers Alyssa Healy and Vrinda Dinesh struggling to find form alongside MI opener Hayley Matthews, it would be best to open the lineup with someone who has read the ground and its conditions well.

Hence, MI’s wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and all-rounder Nat-Sciver Brunt would be a fine choice. Even though the latter bats at No. 3, promoting her up the order to get the crucial runs in the powerplay would not be a bad idea after all.

Bhatia played a match-winning knock in the tournament’s curtain raiser between MI and Delhi Capitals (DC) but couldn’t carry the same momentum in the next game against Gujarat Giants (GG). Sciver, on the other hand, has been in fine touch both with the bat and the ball.

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Middle-Order: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Grace Harris, Shweta Sehrawat

The middle order of this lineup is dominated by UPW players, with Australian all-rounder Grace Harris and India’s young sensation Shweta Sehrawat finding a place alongside MI and India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Kaur, who was being criticized for her form of late, bounced back in style at the WPL 2024, playing back-to-back match-winning knocks. After a fine half-century in the first game against DC, Kaur notched up an unbeaten 46 while also scoring the winning runs to make it two-in-two for MI. Notably, she is also the leading run-scorer of the tournament so far.

Grace Harris has managed to score the important runs in the middle. While she has been getting good starts, she has failed to keep her wicket intact. Cracking that code might help her play the anchor’s role for the team.

Shweta Sehrawat looked out of touch in UPW’s first game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) but showcased tremendous composure in the team’s next outing against DC. When the top-order batters failed to perform, the 20-year-old played a 42-ball 45-run knock to put those crucial runs on board.

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All-rounders: Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma

Amelia Kerr’s performance in MI’s most recent game against GG grabbed every viewer’s attention. She was on a wicket-taking spree and finished with a four-wicket haul while conceding only 17 runs in her spell. Kerr’s show with the bat in the second innings was also commendable as she added 31 runs in 25 balls to take her side closer to the win.

Pooja Vastrakar’s economy rate has been on the higher side this season, and she has also failed to put up runs with the bat. But she can be a match-winner on her day and can help chase the score and finish games. She has to work on her bowling techniques to add wickets to her kitty.

Deepti Sharma is another all-rounder who has grabbed everyone's attention in the past couple of years, but she has been struggling to find her form this season. She took charge of the chase in UPW’s first game against RCB but couldn’t take her team over the finish line as they lost by just two runs.

Deepti's sharp direct hits and her ability to spin the ball have helped teams win crucial encounters in the past and she’d be hoping to pull off something similar.

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Bowlers: Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque

Rajeshwari Gayakwad brings in the required experience with her spin-bowling. She picked up two crucial wickets in UPW’s first game against RCB before going wicketless in the next game against DC. Nonetheless, she has managed to maintain a decent economy and is a key player on the side.

Shabnim Ismail was roped in by MI for the WPL 2024 and she proved to be one of the finest picks of the season. After registering 1/24 in the first game, the pace spearhead returned to her best and finished with 3/18 in the second game and played a pivotal role in initiating GG’s batting collapse.

Saika Ishaque finished as the joint-second highest wicket-taker of the tournament in its inaugural edition, and her outstanding performances also earned her an India call-up. She’s also lethal with the new ball and picked up six wickets in the powerplay in WPL 2023. Ishaque has been a regular in MI’s lineup and is likely to retain her spot.