The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 heats up with a crucial eliminator clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) tonight at 7:30 PM IST at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The winner will advance to the finals and face Delhi Capitals (DC).
At the end of the league stage, MI secured the second spot with a 5-3 win-loss record, while RCB finished close behind at 4-4.
Both teams boast a strong record against each other this season. MI emerged victorious in their first encounter by a dominant seven wickets, only for RCB to return the favour with an equally convincing seven-wicket win in the second outing.
The MI captain, Harmanpreet Kaur scored 235 runs in just six matches. The defending champions’ bowling attack is spearheaded by the fiery pace duo of Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who have picked up eight wickets apiece.
RCB, on the other hand, will be aiming to secure their first-ever WPL finals berth. Their batting firepower lies in skipper, Smriti Mandhana, who has amassed a staggering 259 runs in eight matches. Ellyse Perry, the Australian all-rounder, has provided stability in the middle order with 246 runs along with bagging six wickets. The right-arm spinner Asha Sobhana has been the unit’s weapon of choice, taking nine wickets throughout the tournament.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi has seen a mix of high-scoring encounters and thrilling defences. Interestingly, the trend favours the team batting first. With nine matches played there, six have been won by teams who chose to bat first.
MI will be eyeing a win to go past the Bangalore-based team and face DC on Sunday to defend their title. Meanwhile, RCB, having narrowly missed out on the knockouts last season, will be eager to make their mark in their first eliminator appearance. This match promises to be a nail-biting contest, with both teams boasting strong batting lineups and potent bowling attacks.
Head-to-head:
MI have dominated RCB, winning three out of the four matches played between the two sides.
Principal Sponsors:
Mumbai Indians – Lotus Herbals
Royal Challenges Bangalore – Kajaria Ceramics
TV and LIVE streaming details:
TV – Sports18
OTT – JioCinema