WPL Match 16 Preview as UP Warriorz seek victory against Mumbai Indians with absolutely zero margin for error.
WPL Match 16 sees the Mumbai Indians pit their wits against an out of sorts UP Warriorz who are looking desperately for a win.
The UP Warriorz have been on a downward spiral ever since that stunning Super Over win against RCB. They have suffered consecutive defeats, with the latest thrashing against Gujarat Giants taking them to the bottom of the table. The defeat also seen their Net Run Rate take an almighty beating.
Anything less than a defeat will see UP staring the elimination sword in real close quarters. However, they will be looking to give it their all with the comforts of home behind them.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, find themselves in a comparatively better position than the opponents they face. They have 3 wins, and a positive NRR to go with it. However, this does not mean that they do not have any problems.
MI’s top order has been lackluster throughout the tournament, failing to give the side the starts they have been renowned for. Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews have only managed to put together 73 runs in 5 games. While Matthews does have a 50+ score in the tournament, Yastika has only managed a paltry 38 runs in the entire tournament.
The last time these two sides met in Bengaluru, Nat Sciver-Brunt dished out an all-rounder masterclass with both bat and ball. Her unbeaten 75 with the bat was the winning contribution after her 3/18 with the ball shackled the Women in yellow.
The initial plan for UPW did not include Chinelle Henry. Only after Alyssa Healy withdrew from the competition she played. However, she has become their MVP, particularly when it comes to the bat. With a total of 138 runs at a strike rate of 209.09. She leads UPW in scoring despite batting primarily at No. 8 and never higher than No. 7. Henry should be promoted to a couple of places because UPW lacks middle-order punch.
During the first two seasons, Amelia Kerr was one of MI’s most important hitters. However, so far, she has had a poor run this time. She has only managed to score 47 runs at an average of 11.75 and a strike rate of 88.67. MI has been unduly dependent on Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur as a result of the openers’ failure. Kerr wants to change that.