WPL 2023: Ranking the Strongest Playing 11 for All 5 Teams

UP Warriorz, the best team on paper as we look at the ranking and rating of the best predicted playing 11 of all 10 teams for WPL 2023. 

The Women’s Premier League marks a historic step in the progression of Women’s Cricket. Back then, it was the Indian Premier League that changed the fate of Men’s Cricket in 2008, and now it will be the Women’s Premier League that would change the fate of Women’s cricket.

The first edition of the Women’s Premier League, WPL 2023 shall see 5 teams participating in the tournament. As many as 87 players including 30 overseas players shall be playing in the tournament for the 5 franchises, namely Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz.

With just a week away from the start of WPL 2023, almost all teams have their strategy decided in terms of their playing 11 combinations. Given the insights and team’s strengths and weaknesses that we have in hand, let’s find out the best playing 11 ranking of all 5 teams for WPL 2023. 

#5: Mumbai Indians – 8.038

Not the name you would like to see at number 5, but with a relatively weaker squad, Mumbai Indians come fifth for their best playing 11 with a rating of 8.038. Given the availability of options, Mumbai Indians have Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia as their first-choice strongest openers.

Following them are Nat Sciver, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Amelia Kerr in the middle-order. In terms of lower-order, MI have Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Priyanka Bala. Then there are three pure bowlers in the form of Isabelle Wong, Saika Ishaque, and Humaira Kazi. In the 11, Mumbai Indians have batting till 8, and 9 bowling options overall.  

Meanwhile, from the players that help Mumbai Indians with a good rating, there’s All-rounder Hayley Matthews as their best player with a rating of 9.58. Then there’s Nat Sciver at 9.5, Harmanpreet Kaur at 9.25, Amelia Kerr at 9.08, and Pooja Vastrakar at 8.75. Whereas the weak three players are Priyanka Bala at 6.5, Saika Ishaque at 6, and Humaira Kazi at 5. 

Mumbai Indians Women Best Predicted Playing 11 for WPL 2023:

Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver, Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Isabelle Wong, Saika Ishaque & Humaira Kazi

#4: Gujarat Giants – 8.197

Number 4 sees Gujarat Giants with their playing 11 rating at 8.197; a touch better than Mumbai Indians. Gujarat have the overseas duo of Beth Mooney and Sophia Dunkley as their strongest first-choice openers. With the lack of good Indian batters, Gujarat have no other option than to play Ashleigh Gardner at 3, Sushma Verma at 4, and Deandra Dottin at 5.

The lower-order isn’t promising enough for Gujarat Giants with the all-rounder quartet of Ashwani Kumari at 6, Harleen Deol at 7, Sneh Rana at 8, and Mansi Joshi at 9. Then they have two pure bowlers in the form of Monica Patel and Anuja Kanwer. They do have good depth in the batting, but it’s a pure case of quantity over quality. 

Overall, Gujarat Giants have Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Monney as their best players with a perfect rating of 10. Both are benchmarks in the all-rounder and opener categories. The other three strong players are Sneh Rana at 9, Sophia Dunkley at 8.75, and Sushma Verma at 8.25. Meanwhile, the weak three players are Deandra Dottin at 6.67, Harleen Doel at 7, and Tanuja Kanwer at 8.  

Gujarat Giants Best Predicted Playing 11 for WPL 2023:

Beth Mooney, Sophia Dunkley, Ashleigh Gardner, Sushma Verma, Deandra Dottin, Ashwani Kumari, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel & Tanuja Kanwer

#3: Royal Challengers Bangalore – 8.364

At number 3, we have crowd favourite Royal Challengers Bangalore with their best playing 11 rating of 8.364. RCB Women’s team does have some really strong players, but at the same time, they also have relatively weaker players to bring down their overall rating. The Playing 11 seems a decent mix of batters, pacers, spinners, and all-rounders.

The RCB team has Renuka Singh, the pacer as their best player with a benchmark rating of 10. Other four strong players are Middle-order Sophie Devine at 9.75, Opener Smriti Mandhana at 9.75, Pacer Megan Schutt at 9.75, and All-rounder Elysse Perry at 9.58. However, their weak three players are Kanika Ahujat at 6.33, Poonam Khemnar at 6.67, and Preeti Bose at 7. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women Best Predicted Playing 11 for WPL 2023:

Smriti Mandhana [c], Indrani Roy, Sophie Devine, Heather Knight, Richa Ghosh [wk], Ellyse Perry, Poonam Khemnar, Kanika Ahuja, Megan Schutt, Renuka Singh & Preeti Bose

#2: Delhi Capitals – 8.379

Coming to number 2, it’s Delhi Capitals with their playing 11 rating of 8.379. Delhi Capitals don’t have the most famous players like the other teams have. But whatever strong playing 11 they could manage on paper, Arundhati Reddy is the only weak player with a rating of 6. 

Rest, Delhi Capitals have Jemimah Rodrigues as their best player with a rating of 9.5. Following her are Opener Meg Lanning at 9.25, All-rounder Marizanne Kapp at 9.17, Opener Shafali Verma at 9, and explosive Alice Capsey at 8.5. Overall, this playing 11 has batting depth till 10 and 6 bowling options to explore. 

Delhi Capitals Women Best Predicted Playing 11 for WPL 2023:

Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Alice Capsey, Marizanne Kapp, Sneha Deepthi, Taniya Bhatia, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Jess Jonassen & Arundhati Reddy

#1: UP Warriorz – 8.576

Finally, the best of the lot, we have UP Warriorz with their playing 11 rating at 8.576. What helps UP Warriorz stand out from the rest as their top 5 players. Tahlia McGrath is the benchmark middle-order batter with a rating of 10 and Sophie Ecclestone is the benchmark spinner with a rating of 10.

The other three strong players are All-rounder Deepti Sharma at 9.92, pacer Shabnim Ismail and opener Alyssa Healy at 9.5. Meanwhile, their weak three players and their rating are Devika Vaidya at 6.67, Simran Shaikh at 7, and Anjali Sarvani at 8. Overall, UP Warriorz have 8 good batting options and 7 good bowling options. 

UP Warriorz Best Predicted Playing 11 for WPL 2023:

Alyssa Healy, Shweta Sehrawat, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma, Kiran Navgire, Simran Shaikh, Devika Vaidya, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shabnim Ismail & Anjali Sarvani

So, that’s about the best playing 11 ranking of all 5 teams for WPL 2023. UP Warriorz may have a strong playing 11 overall, but Royal Challengers Bangalore Women with their 4-5 superb match winners can give a tough fight to the other four teams.

Thanks for reading! What’s your take on all 5 teams for WPL 2023? Please email your thoughts to cric8fanatic@gmail.com 

ALSO READ: WPL 2023: Final Official Salary List Breakdown for All 87 Players

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