WPL 2024 | SWOT Analysis of Mumbai Indians

image-lstxj2ipMumbai Indians will look to win their second title in WPL 2024 (Source: x.com)

It's that time of the year when the female professionals in the cricket arena gear up to offer utmost entertainment in the Indian soil. The second edition of Women Premier League is not far away from its inaugural day as the defending champions, Mumbai Indians square off against the runners-up of last season, Delhi Capitals in the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. 

The tournament will take centre stage in two away conditions for the Champions and it will be interesting to see how their squad sounds for the forthcoming season. 


First, let us look at the squad of Mumbai Indians Women:

Mumbai Indians Squad for WPL 2024

Batters: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Priyanka Bala (wk)

All-rounders: Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Nat-Sciver Brunt, Amanjot Kaur, Chloe Tryon, Pooja Vastrakar, Sathyamoorthy Keerthana,  Amandeep Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Harmanpreet Kaur

Pacers: Jintimani Kalita, Shabnim Ismail, Issy Wong

Spinners: Saika Ishaque, Fatima Jaffer


Strengths of Mumbai Indians for WPL 2024 

Formidable all-round core

 The Mumbai Indians have one of the best all-round core of the Women's Premier League 2024. In the form of Hayley Matthews they get a right-arm off-spinner who can bowl across phases and a top-order batter.  Amelia Kerr and Nat-Sciver Brunt could be game-changers with the bat in the middle order and roll the arms with wrist spin and medium pace respectively. 

The likes of Pooja Vastrakar and Amanjot Kaur will offer the champion side pace bowling options and lower order batting stability. Also, not to forget Chloe Tryon's ability with the ball and finishing the game. In addition, Tamil Nadu's first player to bag an IPL contract, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Humaira Kazi and Sajeevan Sajana adds bench strength in this particular department. 

Proven international match-winners

In order to win a tournament, a team demands proven match-winners who could stand tall in crucial junctures. Nat-Sciver Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur did so in the last season on various occasions with the bat. There should be no doubt on Hayley and Amelia's three-dimensional match-winning skillsets as they have turned the tables for their own national or franchise side on ample occasions. In addition, the Mumbai-based franchise also acquired recently retired  Shabnim Ismail who could be a game-changer with the ball.

Outstanding pace battery

Shabnim Ismail, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Nat-Sciver Brunt, and Amanjot Kaur form the core of the pace MI pace department. Although either of Wong or Ismail is likely to feature in the playing XI on most days, they have enough pace bench strength as well. Fatima Jaffer's ambidextrous capability allows her to bowl right-arm pace and Assam's Jintimani Kalita would be yearning to get an opportunity after scarcity in the last edition. 

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Weaknesses of Mumbai Indians for WPL 2024

 Non-reliable finishers

It's likely that MI may not be able to include Chloe Tryon in their initial playing xi like they did last season. On that case, the team may miss out on a strong finisher and the responsibilities pile up on Amanjot and Pooja with the willow. Although both of them have overhauled totals with quickfire knocks in the past, how bankable they could be when it comes to finishing games on the grand stage is a question yet to be answered.


Opportunity for Mumbai Indians in WPL 2024 

Benched stars to showcase potential

The Mumbai brigade have acquired some talented individuals in the players auction. Keerthana Balakrishnan has the ability to play quickfire with the bat lower down the order apart from her smart wrist spin bowling. 

Fatima Jaffer, the niece of legendary Mumbaikar Wasim Jaffer has immense potential to torture the opposition with her left-arm spin or right-arm seam-ups. She has rubbed shoulders with age-level boys as well and its time for her to transcend her skillset into the bigger stage. 

S Sajana of Kerala has been in fine form with the bat recently in the domestic tournaments. She can be used at the middle order if required and bears plethora of experience under her belt. 

Shabnim's reignition

It's been a while the cricket realm has witnessed the fiery spells from South African great Shabnim Ismail. Since her retirement in May, 2023, the right-arm pacer has not been making the headlines quite often as she used to do in her cricketing days. The WPL is one of the best stages for her to make a comeback statement with the white rock. 


Threats for Mumbai Indians in WPL 2024

Playing in batting paradise 

The initial half of the WPL 2024 will be staged in the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. There shouldn't be any doubt why this is one of the grounds that the batters tend to love. It's renowned to be a batter's paradise and hence the bowlers need to toil hard to produce desired outcomes. 

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Players to watch out for

Hayley Matthews: The Caribbean all-rounder is one of the modern day superstars when it comes to don the bat as well as the ball.  She bagged 16 wickets last season and also went on to notch 271 runs from ten matches. She was in spellbinding form with the bat during the recent series against Australia Women in October, 2023. Her scores read 99*, 132 and 79 against the World Champions. 

Shabnim Ismail: The South African quick has a healthy margin of gas still left. Once, known to be as one of the fastest bowlers in the world has turned into an intelligent cricketer despite hanging boots from international arena. Shabnim is familiar to the Indian conditions and she has the ability to deliver with both new and old ball.

Yastika Bhatia: The Wicketkeeper-batter was in scintillating form with the blade in hand during the recent Senior Women's Inter Zonal One Day Trophy 2024. She shattered records for fun by accumulating the highest-ever (349) runs in the competition's history. She averaged 58.16 with the bat and scored the highest score of 151 in the prestigious tournament's history.


Evaluation of the Mumbai Indians Squad for WPL 2024

Batting

Experience- 10/10
Depth- 9/10
Power- 8.5/10
Finishing- 6.5/10

Rating- 8.5/10


Bowling

Experience- 8/10
Powerplay Potential- 7.5/10
Middle-Overs Potential- 9/10
Slog-overs Potential- 8.5/10

Rating- 8.25/10

Overall Team Rating: 8.3/10


Prediction for Mumbai Indians in the WPL 2024

It would be astonishing if the Mumbai brigade fails to make the finals once again. They have covered up almost all their bases and now its up to the cricketers to showcase their ability when it matters the most. For certain, they are one of the strong contenders to win the title one more time.