WPL 2024: Four major things Indian women's cricket team gained from the tournament

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 had a memorable end as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won their first trophy in the tournament which is also the first title for the franchise since it was established in 2008 with their men’s team. The fact that the men’s team, one of the best supported sides in the world, couldn’t get their hands on the trophy for so long and Smriti Mandhana and Co did that in their second season itself is enough to explain what the title win meant to the local residents of Bengaluru who were on the streets Sunday night to celebrate. The outpouring of emotions was guaranteed.

It’s, however, not just the Bengaluru franchise or fans who will going back home with something major in their kitty. Even the Indian team had multiple positives to take away form the second edition of WPL.

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With the women’s T20 World Cup set to take place in September–October 2024 in Bangladesh and India not scheduled to play much cricket before the competition, the Women in Blue were looking for a lot of answers and this is what they got.

Harmanpreet roars back to form

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur entered WPL 2024 with her last few scores in T20Is reading like this: 3,6,6*,9, 26. There was a desperate need for Harmanpreet to find her form for two reasons. She is India’s best batter against spin, which will come in handy in Bangladesh and second, she is the one who gives steel to India’s middle and lower middle order. Her dismissal has often led to match slipping away from India’s hands.

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Thankfully, Harmanpreet, whose Mumbai Indians reached the Eliminator, had a impressive tournament, scoring 268 runs in seven matches at whopping strike rate of 141.05. She smashed two fifties and had an average of 53.60.

Shafali follows her captain

Another batter who was in need of rediscovering her form was Shafali Verma who scored just 283 runs as an opener in 2023 with a strike rate of 113.20 in 14 matches. She started off 2024 on a good note and had a productive WPL with 309 runs from nine matches. She had an average of 38.62 and strike rate of 156.85.

Spinners conundrum over

India are in search of some reliable spinners of all variety. Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque made a case with five wickets in three T20Is before the WPL. She took nine wickets in WPL 2024 and her slot in the team is almost cemented but India would mostly look to add another left-armer and it seems like Radha Yadav has won the race with 10 wickets in WPl 2024 for Delhi Capitals. Gujarat Giants’ Tanuja Kanwar also took 10 wickets but she is yet to make India debut.

RCB off-spinner Shreyanka Patil made a big case for herself with 13 wickets for RCB as the Purple Cap winner, while leg-spinner Asha Sobhana took 12 wickets for the champions and put in multiple clutch performances including that in semifinal and the final. Sobhana hasn’t played for India yet, but it seems like she can be a successor for Poonam Yadav.

Richa and Deepti can be finishers

Richa Ghosh once again showed that she can hit big and under the pressure. She made 17 not out as RCB defeated DC in the WPL final by eight wickets. In the must-win match against Mumbai Indians, Richa slammed 36 not out as RCB reached the Eliminator. She has over the time shown that she can be the finisher for Team India.

Similarly, Deepti Sharma had a highly productive WPL 2024, scoring 295 runs for UP Warriorz and taking 10 wickets. Deepti for long has been India’s mainstay in the middle and lower orders and her good form should only benefit the Women in Blue in the T20 World Cup.