WPL 2023 Rewind: An Era-Shifting Revolution That Started Women’s Cricket
The WPL 2023 made a big difference in women’s cricket’s standing around the world.
A thrilling exhibition of skill, perseverance, and sportsmanship brought together some of the best players in women’s cricket was the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023. aficionados and aficionados were enthralled by the five-team tournament’s thrilling matches, unexpected upsets, and spectacular individual performances. A global cricket fan base was captivated by the intense competition between the teams, which included both established international players and up-and-coming prospects, as they battled for the coveted trophy.
Women’s cricket entered a new era, aided by the WPL 2023.
Mumbai Indians, the first champions
Throughout the competition, a few teams were particularly noteworthy for their outstanding performances. On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians’ well-rounded team and tactical play demonstrated their supremacy. They were able to secure the first title because to their consistency in both the bowling and hitting departments.
Under the leadership of India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by seven wickets in the inaugural WPL final, which was held at the Brabourne Stadium.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, DC, captained by Australian captain Meg Lanning, had a tough task ahead of them because to England’s Issy Wong’s fast bowling with a right arm. The brilliant Delhi Capitals batting lineup faltered and quickly collapsed to 79/9.
Meg Lanning, the captain of DC, led the team in scoring with 35 runs, while the other batters were easily defeated. With 27 runs apiece, Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav put on a show of defiance, helping DC reach 131/9 in the allotted 20 overs.
Issy Wong of the Mumbai Indians recorded statistics of 3/42, and their West Indies recruit, Hayley Matthews, bowled her four overs, giving up only five runs and taking three wickets.
In response, the Mumbai Indians secured victory in the last over, propelled by England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt’s undefeated performance of 55 balls and 60 runs. The first WPL title was won by the Mumbai Indians thanks to this outstanding effort.
MI finished only behind DC, the league leaders, on net run rate, but nonetheless managed to secure second place in the WPL 2023 points standings. DC put on a strong showing in eight games, taking home two losses and winning six to total 12 points at a run rate of +1.856. MI, on the other hand, also scored 12 points, but their slightly lower run rate of +1.711 allowed them to take second place.
DC advanced straight to the final as the table leaders, while MI had to beat UP Warriorz’s challenge in the Eliminator to get to the championship match. With eight points, the UP Warriorz under Alyssa Healy’s leadership placed third in the standings and advanced to the postseason.
With four points, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), led by Indian batsman Smriti Mandhana, took fourth place among the other teams. In their eight games, RCB won just two and lost six, making it a challenging season. Before they won the competition for the first time, they went through a five-game losing streak.
The Gujarat Giants, who finished with four points at the bottom of the table, had a dismal first season under the direction of Australian Beth Mooney. With only two victories in eight games, the Gujarat team’s season didn’t conclude as they would have liked.
