For the past three weeks or so, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has offered us some thrilling cricket. In the end, Mumbai Indians emerged champions by defeating Delhi Capitals in the grand finale. Throughout the competition, many foreign and domestic players put up incredible displays. Meg Lanning, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Sophie Ecclestone are some of the most noteworthy names here. Unfortunately, some players weren’t as lucky, and their lackluster performances had a negative impact on their teams. Let’s look at three such Indian players:
1) Smriti Mandhana
The Royal Challengers Bangalore invested a hefty amount in bringing Smriti Mandhana on board, only for her to have an underwhelming season. She could only score 149 runs in eight innings, with her highest score being 37 and her strike rate at 111.19. This lack of productivity from the top-order meant that RCB was often left chasing the game and eventually ended up winning just two games in the 2023 WPL.
2) Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma was a major disappointment for the UP Warriorz in WPL 2023. She was well off her form, and this cost the team dearly. She was the designated vice-captain and one of the most important players, yet she only managed to score 90 runs with a strike rate below 100. Her time with the ball wasn’t any better, as she only managed nine wickets while conceding almost nine runs per over.
3) Renuka Singh Thakur
Bangalore invested heavily in Renuka Singh Thakur, but she failed to repay their faith. In 6 matches, she managed a single wicket and gave away runs at a rate of 9.54 per over. This weakened their bowling attack, leaving the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s other inexperienced bowlers under pressure.
