MI vs UPW Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2023 Eliminator match?

The knockout stages of the 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) are finally here! The Eliminator sees the Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the UP Warriorz (UPW) at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday, March 24.

MI seemed like they'd run away with the top spot in the league. With five wins from their first five matches and no opposition coming close to dethroning them, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. had practically booked their tickets to the final.

Until they ran into UPW.

The Warriorz bowled MI out for 127 and chased it down in the final over with five wickets to spare, taking two points away from Mumbai for the first time in WPL 2023. They also instigated a mini-collapse, with Mumbai losing its next game to the Delhi Capitals (DC) and losing out on a spot in the final in the process.

Admittedly, UPW were a notch below the top two teams in the league phase. They have won only four of their eight matches and come into this game on the back of a loss to DC, who are waiting in the summit clash.

In the first meeting between the two sides this year, MI thrashed UPW by eight wickets with 15 balls to spare. Harmanpreet was adjudged the Player of the Match for her unbeaten 53.

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WPL 2023, MI vs UPW: Can Alyssa Healy and Co. pull off another surprise win?

Hayley Matthews has been Mumbai's star performer this year

Saika Ishaque was MI's other star performer when the two teams met for the first time in WPL 2023. She picked up three wickets, including the wickets of both UPW openers and the dangerous Tahlia McGrath.

However, her form has cooled off ever since. The left-arm spinner has scalped just one wicket in her last four matches, and her economy rate has seen a dip too. With the other MI bowlers occasionally failing to be as potent as they were earlier in the season as well, Ishaque will need to step up her game.

UPW have been heavily reliant on their overseas trio of Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy and McGrath to do the heavy lifting. KP Navgire has made only one notable contribution, while Shweta Sehrawat and Simran Shaikh haven't come up with anything significant.

Deepti Sharma's form is another concern for the Warriorz. She has been woeful with the bat and expensive on occasion with the ball, often attempting to bowl yorkers throughout her spell and being taken for runs in the process.

The all-rounder will need to deliver against an MI side that has enough power in the middle order.

Neither MI nor UPW come into this contest looking like a well-oiled unit, but it must be said that the former's problems are easier to fix. They have quality players throughout their lineup and have enough firepower to enter the final.

The Warriorz have been heavily reliant on Harris to pull games out of the fire. Healy has appeared to be a shadow of her destructive self as well. However, she is usually excellent in knockout games and will need to deliver in this contest.

With pitches slowing down in WPL 2023, even the likes of Hayley Matthews have found it tough to score runs at a great clip. This could bring UPW's spin quartet of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Sophie Ecclestone, Parshavi Chopra and Deepti into the picture.

MI aren't to be outdone, though, with Matthews having Ishaque and the wily Amelia Kerr for company.

Anything can happen in a knockout game, and UPW have already shown that they have what it takes to beat Mumbai. However, MI have been a far more convincing side in WPL 2023 and could be backed to arrest their slump in the Eliminator.

While UPW are certainly in with a shout, MI are the favorites to book a final date with DC.

Prediction: MI to win the WPL 2023 Eliminator.