The second match of the third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will feature a thrilling clash between the inaugural champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), and the two-time finalists, Delhi Capitals (DC). Both teams will begin their WPL 2024 campaign with this match, which will be played at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. Let’s take a look at the pitch conditions and weather forecast for this match.
Vadodara Stadium Pitch Report
This is the first time WPL matches are being held at Kotambi Stadium. The venue is relatively new, and it previously hosted an ODI match where the Indian women’s team faced West Indies. The stadium witnessed a high-scoring thriller in the first match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Giants (GG), where Gujarat posted a massive total of 201 runs. However, RCB successfully chased it down, recording the highest successful run chase in WPL history.
The boundaries at Kotambi Stadium range from 75 to 65 meters. The pitch is known to favor batters, allowing plenty of fours and sixes. However, as the game progresses, spinners tend to get assistance from the surface. Teams winning the toss usually prefer to bat first, as the wicket slows down in the second innings, making chases difficult. That said, teams with powerful hitters can still put up or chase down big scores.
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Vadodara Weather Forecast
The weather in Vadodara is expected to be cool and pleasant. The maximum temperature will be around 24°C, while the minimum will drop to 16°C. Cloud cover is expected throughout the day, but there is no forecast of rain. Humidity levels will be around 26%, and the wind will blow at a speed of 17 km/h.
Head-to-Head Record: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals
The contests between MI and DC have been competitive. They have faced each other five times in WPL history, including the 2023 final. Out of these encounters, Mumbai Indians have won three matches, while Delhi Capitals have emerged victorious twice.
Predicted Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Amand Kaur, Saika Ishaque, Parunika Sisodia, Shabnim Ismail.
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (C), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Taniya Bhatia (WK), Minnu Mani, Annabel Sutherland, Niki Prasad, Marizanne Kapp, Shikha Pandey, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav.
This highly anticipated match promises to be an exciting contest as both teams aim to start their WPL 2024 campaign on a winning note.