WPL 2023: 5 players who can be Player of the Tournament

Smriti Mandhana (Photo Source: Instagram)

The eagerly-awaited inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) commenced on March 4. Some renowned names of world cricket have featured in the marquee tournament thus far and proven their mettle on the big stage. As the T20 extravaganza moves forward, fans will witness many more jaw-dropping performances on the cricket field.

Among the sea of top-drawer players featuring in WPL 2023, there are a few who could make the T20 carnival their own with their performances and bag the player of the tournament award. Let us look at the contenders who could grab the prize.

Here are five players who can be Player of the Tournament

5. Ashleigh Gardner

Ashleigh Gardner (AUS). (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Ashleigh Gardner is a ferocious striker ball and has knocked the wind of out bowling attacks that have come her way. On her day, she has inflicted carnage even on the best of bowlers. Further, the 25-year-old is a wily customer with the ball and has chipped in with crucial wickets at regular intervals.

Gardner has racked up 1176 runs in 73 T20Is at a strike rate of 132.43 and taken 53 wickets at an economy of 6.27. When it comes to the 50-over format, the 25-year-old has scored 686 runs in 52 games at a strike rate of 117.26 and bagged 58 wickets at an economy of 4.09.

Gardner took the T20 World Cup 2023 by storm with her blistering performances. She smashed 110 runs in six games at a strike rate of 119.56 and bagged ten wickets at an economy of 6.25. She is in top form and could set the WPL 2023 ablaze with her showings, capturing the coveted prize.

4. Nat Sciver-Brunt

Nat Sciver-Brunt. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Nat Sciver-Brunt has been a proven performer for England across formats. She has accumulated 2175 runs in 108 T20Is at a strike rate of 114.77 and picked up 79 wickets at an economy of 6.47. In ODIs, the 30-year-old has scored 3009 runs in 94 ODIs at a strike rate of 94.68 and bagged 65 scalps in those outings.

Sciver has taken the attack on the opposition right from the get-go and turned the game on its head in a matter of deliveries. Also, the 30-year-old has shown the ability to steady the ship when her team has been in trouble. On the bowling front, she has provided timely breakthroughs to her side.

Sciver displayed her batting prowess in the T20 World Cup 2023 and hammered 216 runs in five matches played at the marquee tournament at a strike rate of 141.17. She is an experienced customer in the T20 circuit and could bring her A-game into play for Mumbai Indians in WPL 2023.

3. Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana (Photo Source: Instagram)

Smriti Mandhana is one of those players who has made heads turn every time she has stepped into the cricket field. The ace batter has left the world in awe of her glorious stroke play and put opposition bowlers under the pump. She has featured in 77 ODIs and aggregated 3073 runs at a strike rate of 83.91.

Talking about the shortest format, Mandhana has made 116 appearances for her national side and has scored 2802 runs in 116 matches at a strike rate of 123.87. The southpaw is the lynchpin of the Indian batting line-ups across formats and Royal Challengers Bangalore broke their bank to sign her at the WPL auction, paying a whopping sum of INR 3.4 crore for the Indian batter.

Mandhana displayed her class in the recently culminated T20 extravaganza in South Africa and piled on 151 runs in four games at a strike rate of 138.53. As the 26-year-old is in good nick, it would not be a surprise if she sets the ongoing edition of the Women’s Premier League on fire with her batting displays and propels RCB to the top of the WPL points table.

2. Alyssa Healy

Alyssa Healy. (Photo Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Australia have produced many match-winners over the years but there have been quite a few of the caliber of Alyssa Healy. The 32-year-old has tormented the opposition’s bowlers with her marauding bat and established her supremacy in the international circuit.

Healy has represented the Women in Green and Gold on 94 occasions in the 50-over format and amassed 2639 runs at a strike rate of 100.18. When it comes to the T20Is, the wicketkeeper batter has accumulated 2489 runs in 141 matches at a strike rate of 126.92.

Healy was in pristine touch in the T20 World Cup 2023. The ace batter plundered 189 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 115.65. The swashbuckling batter has been playing some brilliant cricket of late and could stamp her authority on the ongoing season of WPL.

1. Marizanne Kapp

Marizanne Kapp DC. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Marizanne Kapp is a bankable name in the international arena. She is a marauder with the bat and has taken down top-quality bowlers with her flamboyant stroke play. Moreover, the 33-year-old has been a strike force with the ball for South Africa across formats.

Marizanne has aggregated 2367 runs in 129 ODIs at an average of 30.34 and bagged 147 wickets at an economy of 3.81. Coming to the shortest format, the ace all-rounder has smashed 1178 runs in 94 T20Is and picked up 76 scalps at an economy of 5.54. Her bowling might was displayed at the T20 World Cup 2023 as she bagged nine wickets in six outings at an economy of 6.27.

When Marizanne turn’s arrived at the WPL 2023 auction, Delhi Capitals left no stone unturned to sign her and eventually, picked the veteran cricketer for INR 1.5 crore. She is a match-winner with both bat and ball and could take the ongoing marquee tournament by storm with her exploits on the cricket field.