WPL 2023: A look at the Delhi Capitals squad
Delhi Capitals (DC) will be led by Meg Lanning in the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL), starting March 4. While Jemimah Rodrigues will be Lanning's deputy, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, and Marizanne Kapp are the other notable names in the squad. DC will kick-start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 5. Here we decode DC's squad.
A look at DC's squad
DC spent Rs. 11.65 crore to buy a total of 18 players at the auction event. The tally comprises 12 Indian and six overseas players. Squad: Meg Lanning (Captain), Alice Capsey, Shikha Pandey, Jess Jonassen, Laura Harris, Radha Yadav, Minnu Mani, Taniya Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Sneha Deepthi, Arundhati Reddy, Titas Sadhu, Jasia Akhter, Tara Norris, Aparna Mondal, Jemimah Rodrigues (Vice-Captain), Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp.
Here are the key signings
Lanning, who owns four ICC Women's T20 World Cup titles as captain, fetched Rs. 1 crore in the auction event. The franchise signed veteran South African all-rounder Kapp for Rs. 1.5 crore. Among Indians, Rodrigues and Shafali fetched thumping bids of Rs. 2.2 crore and Rs. 2 crore, respectively. DC spent Rs. 60 lakh to get secure pacer Shikha Pandey's services.
Five ICC titles as captain
Lanning is the only player across men's and women's cricket to clinch five ICC titles as captain. The Aussies lifted the ICC Women's T20 World Cup titles in 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023 under her. Last year, she guided the Aussies to the ODI World Cup title. With Australia's win in the 2023 T20 WC, Lanning overtook Ricky Ponting, who owns four such titles.
Here are the key batters
Lanning is the second-highest run-getter in WT20Is, having scored 3,405 runs in 132 WT20Is at 36.61. In a career spanning over four years, Rodrigues has slammed 1,704 runs from 80 T20Is at an average of 29.98. A match-winner on her day, Shafali has whacked 1,333 runs across 56 matches, striking at 132.11. Kapp owns 1,178 runs in 94 games at 19.31.
Here are the key bowlers
With 91 wickets in 100 games, Jess Jonassen is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is (ER: 5.62). Shikha Pandey owns 43 wickets in 62 appearances in the format (ER: 5.54). Radha Yadav owns 68 wickets in 67 matches in WT20Is (ER: 6.61). One of the finest all-rounders going around, Kapp also owns 76 WT20I wickets (ER: 5.54).
WPL 2023: A look at the key details
The inaugural WPL will witness a total of 20 league matches being played in a span of 23 days. As mentioned, DC will kick-start their campaign against RCB. There will be two playoff matches - the Eliminator (on March 24) and the final (on March 26). Two stadiums in Mumbai (DY Patil Stadium and Cricket Club of India) will host 11 matches each.
