UPW vs MI Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2025 match?

Things seemed to be going swimmingly for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2025 Women's Premier League (WPL). The inaugural WPL champions, who lost their first encounter of the competition in controversial fashion to the Delhi Capitals (DC), notched up a three-game win streak after that to put themselves in the reckoning to finish at the top of the standings.

However, MI have hit another snag, at the hands of the same opposition. DC thrashed them by nine wickets in the previous game, consigning them to third place. With three wins from five matches, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. find themselves four points behind Delhi, although they will catch up if they win both their games in hand.

So it's a contest of significance for MI, but not more than it is for the UP Warriorz (UPW). The Warriorz are enduring a tough season so far and are dead last in the points table, with only four points from six matches. They also have the worst net run rate in the tournament, and their playoff hopes are consequently hanging by a thread.

UP's Super Over win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) helped them pull ahead of the stragglers, but they're back where they started. And with clear problems in both departments, things aren't getting much better for them. However, they now have no choice but to dig deep.

Mumbai Indians Squad: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Shabnim Ismail, SB Keerthana, Saika Ishaque, Jintimani Kalita, Chloe Tryon, Parunika Sisodia, Amandeep Kaur, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Akshita Maheshwari, Nadine de Klerk.

UP Warriorz Squad: Georgia Voll, Vrinda Dinesh, Kiran Navgire, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma (c), Uma Chetry (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Kranti Goud, Saima Thakor, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Gouher Sultana, Arushi Goel, Chinelle Henry, Alana King, Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar.

Can MI get closer to the top spot? Can UPW keep their playoff hopes alive?

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WPL 2025: MI and UPW have contrasting ambitions ahead of key clash

WPL 2023 - UP Warriorz v Gujarat Giants - Source: Getty

The first match played at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow panned out rather unexpectedly. A slow pitch that helped the spinners seemed to be on the cards, but the venue instead offered considerable help for the fast bowlers inside the powerplay and even through the middle overs.

Given that, UPW are unlikely to have much of a home advantage. Their team is packed with spinners, and with Tahlia McGrath being dropped from the playing XI after a sustained period of poor form, their pace stocks are rather thin.

Kranti Goud and Chinelle Henry are the two options at their disposal, and while both fast bowlers have impressed so far, they pale in comparison to the likes of Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Moreover, MI's middle order has been carried by Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet, who have covered up for the dwindling returns of Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia and Amelia Kerr. If those players can contribute as well, the Mumbai Indians will be in pole position to move up the standings once again.

The ongoing WPL season has been a touch unpredictable at times, but it's clear which team is likely to come out on top in this encounter.

Prediction: MI to win Match 16 of WPL 2025.