Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023: Top five bowling performances from the league stage. Marizanne Kapp’s 5-15 against Gujarat outshines the rest.
Throughout the three weeks of the highly-anticipated Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023, numerous players have delivered outstanding match winning performances that have left the cricket community and fans awestruck. Among them are a group of bowlers who have made their mark in the tournament with their impeccable bowling spells etching new milestones.
Here we take a look at the five magical bowling spells at WPL 2023 which added to the glory of the tournament.
Marizanne Kapp vs Gujarat Giants (4-0-15-5)
Marizanne Kapp, one of the most seasoned campaigners from South Africa, provides her team Delhi Capitals (DC) all-round abilities being a right-handed batter and a right arm medium pacer.
In the ninth match of the league, DC displayed ruthless dominance against Gujarat Giants (GG). Spearheading the pace attack, the 33-year-old veteran all-rounder utilised her vastly rich experience and breathed fire on batters from the very first over of the match, scalping the wickets of Sabbhineni Meghana, Laura Wolvaardt and Ashleigh Gardner in her first two overs. Later on, she took wickets of Harleen Deol and Sushma Verma, thereby concluding her spell with magnificent bowling numbers of 5/15 that helped her team to chase down Gujarat’s score of mere 105/9 in only 7.1 overs without losing any wicket. In the end, Kapp’s breathtaking efforts won the game for her team and she also received the Player of the Match award.
Marizzane Kapp has taken 9 wickets in the 8 matches at an average of 20.44 and with a miserly economic rate of 5.75. Her economical spells have really strengthened the bowling attack of DC.
Read More: WPL 2023: Top batting performances from the league stage
Tara Norris vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (4-0-29-5)
As a left-arm swing bowler, Tara plays for the United States of America (USA) and is the lone representation from associate nations in WPL for Delhi Capitals. Tara Norris, a 24-year-old youngster hailing from Philadelphia, became the first player to take a fifer in WPL.
Delhi posted a gigantic total of 223, riding on sublime half-centuries from openers Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma in the second match of the WPL. Later on, Norris put up a scintillating exhibition of some sensational bowling to completely demolish RCB. Norris took wickets of Ellyse Perry and Disha Kasat in a single over, while in her second over she picked up two consecutive wickets of Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja. Her final victim was Heather Knight to completely quash the hopes of any comeback for RCB as they could only score 163 runs in 20 overs. Norris bagged astounding figures of 4-0-29-5 and was adjudged as the Player of the Match for her fantastic performance.
After the dream debut magical spell, Norris couldn’t sustain the momentum and didn’t get much opportunities later. Tara Norris has taken 7 wickets from 5 matches in the ongoing WPL at an average of 12.71 and a not so overwhelming economy rate of 8.09 before losing her spot to Poonam Yadav.
Read More: WPL 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore and the same story of an unplanned season
Kimberley Garth vs UP Warriorz (4-0-36-5)
The Ireland-born, 26-year-old, young Australian right arm pacer, Kim Garth registered the second 5-fer in the tournament for Gujarat Giants, albeit in a losing cause as Grace Harris and Sophie Ecclestone’s onslaught stunned Gujarat Giants.
Gujarat Giants faced UP Warriorz in the third match of the 2023 season of WPL. The Giants posted a competitive total of 169 runs on the board on the back of Harleen Deol’s 46 off 32. Defending 170, Garth, a late replacement for Deandra Dottin, produced an opening spell of exquisite seam bowling, getting rid of Alyssa Healy, Shweta Sehrawat and Tahlia McGrath within six deliveries to leave the Warriorz reeling at 20 for 3. When UP Warriorz steadied themselves after the early Garth storm, she got rid of Kiran Navgire and Simran Shaikh in the 13th over to bring Gujarat back into a superior position. But Garth’s valiant effort went in vain as Grace Harris hammered 59* runs off 26 balls, well supported by Sophie Ecclestone’s 22* runs off 12 balls, who won the game for UPW by 3 wickets.
Kim Garth has scalped a total of 11 wickets from 7 matches at an average of 17.54 and a decent economy rate of 7.72 and this is the end of her memorable journey in WPL this year as GG failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Read More: WPL 2023: Know more about lesser-known players – Part II
Saika Ishaque vs Gujarat Giants (3.1-1-11-4)
Saika Ishaque, a 27-year-old spin sensation, is a left arm orthodox spinner, hailing from Kolkata; she has played for India A in the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy and represented Bengal Women in domestic cricket and is now representing Mumbai Indians in WPL. Before WPL, not many were acquainted with the name of Saika Ishaque but it was her impressive debut against Gujarat Giants in the opener of WPL, that had her name echoing in the mouth of every cricket pundit and followers of the game. She has registered the best ever bowling figures for an uncapped Indian in WPL.
Mumbai Indians faced off against Gujarat Giants in the opening match of WPL. Mumbai scored a massive 207 runs, with Harmanpreet Kaur being the top-scorer with 65 off 30 deliveries. Saika Ishaque led the bowling attack and claimed an exceptional four-wicket haul in her debut WPL match which included the crucial wickets of Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi and Monica Patel. Gujarat were bowled out for just 64 runs in 15.1 overs and Mumbai won the first ever match of the WPL with Saika’s bowling being key to the victory.
What makes Saika Ishaque unique and makes her stand out is that she can use her height to good advantage of generating a higher release point and her trajectory of the delivery which spins inwards to cause discomfort to the batters. She has already proven her capabilities in the ongoing WPL, claiming 4 wickets in the debut match against Gujarat Giants being followed up by 3-fers against Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz.
In 8 matches, Saika Ishaque has taken a total of 13 wickets at a spectacular average and economy rate of 14.76 and 6.81, respectively, and is currently at the third position behind Sophie Ecclestone of UP Warriorz and Amelia Kerr of Mumbai Indians.
Read More: Mumbai and Delhi dominating Women’s Premier League 2023
Sophie Ecclestone vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (3.3-0-13-4)
Sophie Ecclestone, currently the number one ranked T20 bowler in the world has proved again in the WPL that why she deserves the numero uno spot. The 23-year-old seasoned slow left arm orthodox spinner from England known for her pinpoint accuracy and economic spells, deceives the batters with her looped and flighted deliveries and has continued to spin her web again in the WPL on behalf of UP Warriorz.
UPW faced RCB in the 13th encounter in WPL. RCB batting first, lost skipper Smriti Mandhana cheaply but then Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry’s partnership started sending jitters in the UP Warriorz camp, Sophie Ecclestone rattled through the stumps of Devine (36) and ended a 44-run stand with Perry. Ecclestone later scalped the wickets of Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Singh and Sahana Pawar to bundle out RCB at a paltry score of 138. UP Warriorz didn’t lose much sweat and chased down the target in 13 overs with 10 wickets in hand with skipper Alyssa Healy scoring 96(47) to get UPW comfortably home. Sophie’s deceptive and disciplined bowling helped UPW win in an emphatic manner.
Sophie Ecclestone is currently the purple cap holder in the ongoing WPL season. She is currently at 14 wickets from 8 matches at an impressive average and economy rate of 14 and 6.22, respectively.
Mumbai Indians will play UP Warriorz on March 24 in the Eliminator. Delhi Capitals will face the winner of the eliminator in the final on March 26.
Read More: WPL 2023: Know more about lesser-known players – Part I
