WPL 2023: Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians will lock horns against each other in the first-ever final of the Women's Premier League 2023. The Capitals pushed their pedal hard in the final phases of the league stage and made it directly to the final. Their opening combination of Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma has been one of the best in the tournament. While Lanning carried her team in most of the tournament, Shafali Verma faded a little bit at the end of the league stage. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has opened on Shafali's run in the tournament.
Speaking on his show on Jio Cinema, Chopra made a bold statement that Shafali Verma can't be said as a strength for DC. "I won't say Shafali Verma is a strength for DC. We really don't know what you will see from Shafali Verma, especially if it is a knockout game. A high-risk player can open the game for you in a minute but if she gets out at the start, the pressure gets doubled on you. So Shafali - I am not sure." Chopra said.
Chopra also opened on Delhi Capitals' strengths for the match against Mumbai Indians. The former cricketer turned commentator stated that Meg Lanning's captaincy is a strength for the Capitals. "Delhi Capitals' strength is Meg Lanning's captaincy. She is outstanding. It is also a battle between the captains. There is Harmanpreet Kaur on one side and Meg Lanning on the other. This tournament's two best captains will be against each other in the final," he added. He also opined that Lanning's batting is also a big plus for the DC side along with the captaincy. He stated that she absorbs pressure and takes the innings deep.
Delhi Capitals finished first in the League stage of the WPL 2023. They will face Mumbai Indians in the final of the tournament on 26th March at 7:30 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Delhi Capitals' squad:
Meg Lanning (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Jasia Akhtar, Laura Harris, Tara Norris, Minnu Mani, Aparna Mondal, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi
Mumbai Indians' squad:
Yastika Bhatia (wk), Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon, Dhara Gujjar, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala
