Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Race to the top of the WPL 2024 Points Table

Delhi Capitals have won the last three games they've played – against the UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the Gujarat Giants. The Mumbai Indians, too, have won three out of four matches in WPL 2024 so far. (Image via X/@DelhiCapitals)

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi will host its first-ever Women’s Premier League (WPL) fixture on March 5, Tuesday, with the home side Delhi Capitals taking on reigning champions Mumbai Indians. The toss will take place at 7pm India time and the first ball is scheduled for 7:30pm.

This will be the second time the two sides will face off this season. In their previous encounter, Meg Lanning’s Delhi Capitals lost the match by four wickets off the final ball, which was smashed for a six by Mumbai debutant S Sajana on the tournament’s opening night.

WPL 2024 Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Recent form

With three wins from four games, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians are second on the points table. In their last two fixtures, designated captain Harmanpreet and frontline overseas pacer Shabnim Ismail sat out with injuries. Allrounder Natalie Sciver-Brunt led in both games, losing to the UP Warriorz and winning the fixture against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Table-toppers Capitals, too, have three wins from four games, three of those victories – against the Warriorz, Royal Challenges, and Giants – having come on the trot. Their most recent victory, against the Gujarat Giants by 25 runs, helped them pip Mumbai on the points leaderboard in terms of the net run rate.

WPL 2024 Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Players to watch

Amelia Kerr, the New Zealand allrounder, has been a key wicket-taker and run-scorer for the Mumbai Indians across both seasons of the WPL. Bought at the inaugural auction last year for INR 1 crore, Kerr was retained for the second season, where she has continued her good form for the Ambani-owned franchise. Currently, she averages nearly 40 for her 118 runs and seven wickets from four innings and figures in the top 10 of the tournament’s run and wicket charts.

Jess Jonassen has only played the last two of the Capitals’ matches of WPL 2024 and her impact as a left-arm spin-bowling allrounder could be immediately felt. She struck an unbeaten 36 at No. 6 and took 3 for 21 in the game against RCB and was adjudged Player of the Match for her 11 runs and 3 for 22 against the Giants.

WPL 2024 Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Squads

MI: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Hayley Matthews, Humaira Kazi, Issy Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, S. Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, Fatima Jaer, and SB Keerthana

DC: Meg Lanning (c), Jess Jonassen, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Laura Harris, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia, Minnu Mani, Sneha Deepthi, Titas Sadhu, Annabel Sutherland, Aparna Mondal, Aswani Kashyap

WPL 2024 Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Coaches

MI: Charlotte Edwards (England)

DC: Jonathan Batty (England)