The women's Premier League WPL is BCCI’s attempt to further the Indian women’s game. It has its own rules and regulations and every franchise has to follow it without fail. While the Indian Premier League permits the limit of only 4 overseas players in a squad of playing eleven. The same applies to the Women's premier league. But Women’s Premier Leauge has a twist in it. Delhi Capitals have taken advantage of this very smartly.
The story so far -
Delhi Capitals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2nd match of the league at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. Meg Lanning and Smriti Mandhana were leading their respective sides. Bangalore fielded four overseas players in the squad which included Sophie Devine, Heather Knight, Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt. Whereas Delhi Capitals had 5 overseas players including Meg Lanning, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsy, Jess Jonassen and Tara Norris.
Delhi plays cards smart and fields 5th overseas player -
In the rule of the Women's Premier League, there's provision for a 5th overseas player. BCCI has gotten this rule if the 5th player happens to be from an associate cricket playing nation. Delhi Capitals decided to take this option and fielded Tara Norris from the United States of America.
Meg Lanning and Shefali Varma lead Delhi to 223 –
It was a noisy afternoon as the fans came down to watch their favourite women’s cricketers on a hot Sunday afternoon. Australian legend Meg Lanning opened the batting with Indian sensation, Shefali Varma as the pair added 162 for the 1st wicket. The pair hit the bad balls for boundaries, while rotating the strike with ease.
Meg Lanning scored 72 off 43 balls, while Shefali Varma top scored with 84 off 45 balls with the help of 10 fours and 4 sixes. Marizanne Kapp and Jemimah Rodrigues then added 60 runs for the 3 wicket to take Delhi to 223. Kapp scored 39* off 17 balls while Rodrigues scored 22 off 15 balls.
Tara Norris Decimates Bangalore’s batting unit –
Chasing 224 to win, captain Smriti Mandhana began the chase with a 23 ball 35 with 5 fours and a six. Heather Knight 34, Ellyse Perry with 31 and Megan Schutt with 30 were the other contributors for Bangalore. The day though belonged to Tara Norris from USA, as the 24 year old left arm medium pacer, picked the first 5 wicket haul in the Women’s Premier League.
Norris began by getting the wickets of Perry followed by Disha Kasat for 9 and Richa Ghosh for 2. Norris then got ther 4th when she had Kanika Ahuja out for a first ball duck. It was soon fifer for the youngster from USA when she had Knight caught by Lanning for 34 to give Delhi a win by 60 runs.