If you are looking for the MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024, you are in the right place. With the Women's Premier League just hours away from its second edition, we bring you the best possible playing XIs for all five sides competing in the tournament.
The inaugural edition of the WPL was a mega success as the Indian crowd embraced women's cricket with open arms and flocked to stadiums. Delhi Capitals Women, Mumbai Indians Women and UP Warriorz Women were the top three teams in the season. MI Women lifted the trophy at the end, beating UP Warriorz in the Eliminator and Delhi Capitals in the final.
The WPL 2024 is set to kick off on February 23rd with a clash between last year's finalists Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Before the season gets underway, we take a look at the Mumbai Indians Women's full squad and MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024.
Delhi Capitals Women: DC Women best playing XI for WPL 2024
Mumbai Indians (MI) Women full squad for WPL 2024
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tyron, Hayley Matthews, Humairaa Kaazi, Isabelle Wong, Jintimati Kalita, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Pooja Vastrakar, Sajeevan Sajana, Priyanka Bala, Yastika Bhatia, Fatima Jaffer, Saika Ishaque, Shabmin Ismail
MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024
The defending champions Mumbai Indians had a formidable squad last season and they retained most of it ahead of the mini-auction. They strengthened the team with some new additions such as Shabmin Ismail, Amandeep Kaur and Fatima Jaffer.
MI Women have a strong core of players with the likes of Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr batting in the top five and capable of bowling four overs each. In Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia and Pooja Vastrakar, have international quality Indian players too.
Looking at their squad, below is the MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024.
1. Hayley Matthews
The flamboyant batter who is also a very good off-spinner, Hayley Matthews is amongst the best all-rounders in the game. She was superb for Mumbai Indians Women in the first season, winning the purple cap for most wickets. She picked 16 wickets at an economy of 5.94. Matthews also made 271 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 126.
2. Yastika Bhatia (wk)
Yastika Bhatia is Mumbai Indians Women's best wicket-keeping option. Not as explosive as others in the line-up, her role in the previous season was to take early risks and get the team off to a good start. She made 214 runs in the last edition at a strike rate of 112. Bhatia has had decent exposure in international cricket and MI Women would hope for better returns.
3. Natalie Sciver-Brunt
The England all-rounder is arguably the most valuable asset in the women's game and Mumbai Indians reaped rewards for signing her. Natalie Sciver-Brunt was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament in the WPL 2023. She was the second-highest run-getter in the season, with 332 runs at an average of 66 while striking at 140. Natalie smashed three fifties in the competition, including an unbeaten 60 in the final to take MI Women over the line. With the ball, the right-arm seamer picked 10 wickets at an economy of 7.12.
4. Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
The Indian captain led Mumbai Indians Women well last year and will hope to repeat the glory. Harmanpreet Kaur had a horrible series versus Australia recently, where she was dismissed for single digits in six innings across three formats. However, when she is in form, Kaur can make a huge difference. In the previous WPL edition, she made 281 runs from nine innings at a strike rate of 135 while averaging 40, including three half-centuries.
5. Amelia Kerr
Amelia Kerr is another elite all-rounder who makes it into the MI Women best playing XI on either of her skills. She had an excellent WPL season last year, picking 15 wickets at 6.45 economy and scoring 149 runs at a strike rate of 133 batting at number five. Amelia was the best player in the recent Women's Super Smash, where she amassed 437 runs at an average of 73 while picking 20 wickets at 4.47 rpo.
6. Pooja Vastrakar
Pooja Vastrakar is India's premier seam all-rounder and brings a lot of value to the Mumbai Indians Women playing XI. Vastrakar continues to improve as a bowler and has gotten better at bowling in death overs. She is well capable of taking down bowling attacks on her day.
7. Amanjot Kaur
Amanjot Kaur is a similar player type to Vastrakar, offering a dual skill set as a medium pacer and with the bat. The 24-year-old all-rounder has played 12 T20Is for India and showed good promise.
8. Amandeep Kaur
Amandeep Kaur is a 21-year-old all-rounder who bowls left-arm wrist spin and can be handy with the bat. There's not much data available about her but could be a good addition to the side given her unique skill set.
9. Sajeevan Sajana
Sajeevan Sajana could fit well into the MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024. The 29-year-old off-break bowler had taken three consecutive four-wicket hauls in a fifty-over tournament in 2021.
10. Shabmin Ismail
Mumbai Indians acquired the services of Shabnim Ismail for INR 1.2 crore. The South African speedster is one of the best in the business and is an upgrade over Issy Wong as a bowler. Ismail is likely to get a nod in the MI Women best playing XI. The right-arm pacer picked 123 wickets in her T20I career at an economy of 5.77.
11. Saika Ishaque
Saika Ishaque was the find of the WPL 2023 tournament and she will continue to be a part of the MI Women best playing XI for WPL 2024. The left-arm orthodox spinner snared 15 wickets in 10 games last season at an economy of 7, including best figures of 4/11.
