Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)

UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals will be looking to get better of each other in the last group-stage fixture of the ongoing Women’s Premier League 2023 (WPL) on Tuesday, March 21. Both teams have already secured playoff qualifications with a string of dominant performances ahead of the 20th group-stage match.

The Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals thrashed Mumbai Indians by nine-wickets in their last game to leap to the top spot on the WPL points table. Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen restricted Mumbai Indians to just 109/8 claiming two wickets each. Then Lanning, Shafali Verma, and Alice Capsey were quick to chase the target in just nine overs to replace Mumbai Indians at the top of the ladder.

The Capitals’ dominant win over Mumbai Indians makes them favourites for the upcoming clash against Warriorz. But Warriorz have also been at the top of their game in their last two games, including a crucial win against Mumbai Indians. So fans can expect a close encounter between the two in-from teams.

Here’s Delhi Capitals’ predicted XI for the match against UP Warriorz:

Openers: Meg Lanning (c), Shafali Verma

Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)

Delhi Capitals captain smashed an unbeaten 32 off 22 while quickly chasing the 110-run target against Mumbai Indians in the last game.

She regained the top spot on the chart of batters with most runs scored in the ongoing tournament and now has scored 271 runs in seven innings at an average of 54.20 and a strike rate of 138.26. Lanning scored 70 off 42 against UP Warriorz in their first leg of the tournament and will be looking to make a similar impact on Tuesday.

Shafali contributed with 33 off 15 knock against Mumbai Indians in Capitals’ latest win. The young opener has been excellent in providing Delhi Capitals with promising starts alongside the skipper so far. Shafali has scored 220 runs in seven innings at an impressive strike rate of 189.65 with two fifties.

Middle Order: Jemimah Rodrigues, Alice Capsey, Taniya Bhatia (wk)

Jemimah Rodrigues. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)

With the openers dominating mostly, Capitals’ middle order seems less utilised. Jemimah Rodrigues didn’t get a chance to bat against Mumbai Indians in the last game but was excellent against Warriorz in the first leg with a knock of 34* off 22. 

Alice Capsey played a match-winning knock of 38* off just 17 with the help of one four and five sixes against Mumbai Indians in the last game. The English youngster has scored 125 runs at a strike rate of 181.15 and has taken three wickets at an economy rate of 6.50 so far.

Taniya Bhatiya has gotten to bat in only two games despite featuring in all seven games for Delhi Capitals so far. The wicketkeeper batter managed to score just five runs in two innings and is often pushed down the order.

All-rounders: 

Marizanne Kapp. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

The experienced South African all-rounder won the Player of the Match against Mumbai Indians with two wickets for 13. In addition to her 125 runs in five innings, Kapp has now taken nine wickets in seven innings at an amazing economy rate of 5.71 – the best for Capitals. 

Bowlers: Jess Jonassen, Titas Sadhu, Tara Norris, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav

Shikha Pandey. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Jess Jonassen continued her good run in the league with two wickets and one run-out to her name against Mumbai Indians in the last game. The top-ranked Australian spinner smashed 42* off 20 and took three wickets against UP Warriorz in the first leg to bag the Player of the Match award.

Tara Norris made big headlines in Capitals’ opening game by taking five wickets. But she managed to get only two wickets in her next four games and also proved costly with her spells. She warmed the bench in the last two games but might get a chance against UP Warriorz in the upcoming game with Delhi already securing the playoff qualification.

Shikha Pandey had a slow start to the tournament with just two wickets from the first three games. But she was quick to gain pace with eight wickets in her next four innings, including two big wickets of Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet Kaur against Mumbai Indians in the last game.

Titas Sadhu, the 18-year-old pacer, hasn’t featured for Capitals in the first seven games but might get a chance to show her potential against UP Warriorz in the upcoming game. She is likely to replace veteran spinner Poonam Yadav, who has been Capitals’ most expensive bowler with no wickets in two innings so far.

Radha Yadav endured another game without a wicket and will be under pressure to perform against UP Warriroz in the next game. She has managed to get just one wicket in seven innings at an economy rate of 7.56 so far.

Delhi Capitals Women Predicted XI: Meg Lanning (c), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Jess Jonassen, Tara Norris, Titas Sadhu, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav