Image Credit- BCCI
It feels too fresh
to be having heated discussions about the necessity of a competition like the
WPL.
They claimed there wasn’t enough depth in quality to divide into a sufficient
number of clubs to establish a league and draw spectators. 25,000 spectators
filled the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday night to watch Royal Challengers
Bangalore defeat Mumbai Indians in the elimination round.
The same crowd will cheer the Delhi Capitals, who will get another chance at
WPL gold, with fervour on Sunday. They were defeated by nerves last year when
playing Mumbai. With a stadium packed of supporters, things might go
differently this time.
The Capitals arrived
here after a commanding performance in the group round. They have now qualified
for the finals straight twice in the last two seasons by winning the pool. The
road for RCB has not been easy. They had a mid-season dip after starting the
season with two victories, but they overcame the defending champions twice to
get here.
It is not surprising that the IPL histories of these two teams have been
discussed extensively. RCB and the Capitals have participated in the event
since 2008, however neither team has ever taken home a trophy. The Capitals
have advanced to three finals, while the RCB has made four. One of them will
undoubtedly be creating room for their first trophy.
Each team has made
significant investments in their scouting apparatus. This was amply supported
by Asha Sobhana’s unflappable final over on Friday night, which dethroned
Mumbai. If not for an opportunity at the WPL, it’s possible that at 33 she
would have been a minor note on some domestic scorecards.
To propel them ahead, the Capitals have chosen a core group of young Indian
players. This includes Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav, who were not part of
the conversation over the Indian team. Strong efforts here, the result of
strong support from Meg Lanning and the coaching team. A nationwide call-up
will no longer feel so unexpected.
There’s going to be
a knock-on effect from Shafali Verma’s conversations with Lanning about being
more consistent and merciless and about stepping up her game. The way that
Minnu Mani grinned and Lanning hugged her after she dribbled past Ash Gardner’s
defence demonstrated the benefits of a team culture that encourages young
players to find their own identities and develop as people.
From there, Shreyanka Patil—a discovery of WPL 2023—has advanced rapidly. She
played in Friday’s Eliminator despite having a hairline fracture and defied the
advice to rest in order to avoid making her injury worse. She gave an
incredible performance.
On Sunday night, the
greatest stage of them all will once again host tales of grandeur, inspiration,
and optimism. And at the end, there will be a new champion in the WPL. It seems
appropriate.