Women's Premier League, SWOT Analysis: Mumbai Indians

image-lek343e1Source: Twitter/ Mumbai Indians

We're heading towards one of the most awaited, anticipated and celebrated weeks in the history of Women's Cricket. Yes, the Women's Premier League (WPL) is on the cards, with five teams rubbing shoulders against each other. It starts on March 4, with the opener being played between Gujarat Giants Women and Mumbai Indians Women. 

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The glitterati franchise managed to rope 17 players in the WPL Player's auction and used all in their purse. So, who are these players? How does the team line up on paper? And, like the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, can this side be a revolution? We'll answer all these queries in the form of a deep-dive analysis.


Mumbai Indians Squad Division

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Strength of MI

  1. An array of potential all-rounders: The Mumbai Indians management have done a spectacular job by bucketing a few of the best all-rounders. Talk about Amelia Kerr or Hayley Kristen Matthews; they've carried the burden of their respective nations on a healthy amount of times. However, one cannot expect Nat Sciver-Brunt and Chloe Tryon to bowl full quota, but part-time damage can be wreaked. Even MI have scalped Indian potentials who can do a little bit of this and that. Pooja Vastrakar and Amanjot Kaur are some of the names that get noticed. And what goes unnoticed is the vows that players like Jintimani Kalita, Humaira Kazi, and Saika Ishaque have on offer. 
  2. Single-handed Match-winners: West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, English batting all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt and White Ferns all-rounder, Amelia Kerr are known for their capabilities to win matches with minimum assistance. They've been consistent performers and are renowned for dragging the ball from the opposition's court at their will. South Africa's lower middle-order batter Chloe Tryon is another such name, who can be ruthless on her day.
  3. Concoction of youth and experience: A unit where legends like Charlotte Edwards and Jhulan Goswami are the batting and bowling coach (cum mentor), respectively, doesn't sound ordinary. The youngsters - Issy Wong, Amelia Kerr, Sonam Yadav, Jintimani Kalita and Dhara Gujjar have plenty to learn. The mix of young souls and experienced minds can be an unshakable rebellion.

Weakness of MI

  1. Non-reliable fast bowling: If one carefully gazes through the squad of MI, it can be handpicked that they lack depth in pure fast bowling. Issy Wong is the only pacer they have. Although Heather Graham, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur and Jintimani Kalita are some all-rounders who can bowl seam-up, it would be inappropriate to rely on these bunch for defending tricky totals.

Opportunities of MI

  1. Top-order backups: MI have some propitious Indian batters in their rank who are likely to warm the benches initially. Someone like Dhara Gujjar and Priyanka Bala have been eye-catching for the Bengal domestic side in the last few years. If provided with a chance, they would like to showcase what they possess at the grandest stages.
  2. Inexperienced spearhead: The Mumbai-based franchise is devoid of an experience-holder when it comes to the pack of pacers. Issy Wong is likely to lead the attack alongside pace-bowling all-rounders who have relatively less exposure to the varied conditions and situations in a cricket field.

Threats of MI

  • Injury Prone cricketers: One of the challenges that Mumbai Indians might face is the sudden unavailability of players. Their key pacer, Issy Wong, was ruled out during the 2022 WBBL season. In addition, names such as Pooja Vastrakar and Nat Sciver-Brunt have a history of missing out on events due to unavoidable circumstances. Of course, one shouldn't be pessimistic, but managing the workload of the all-rounders is a must.

image-lelbdw58(Source: OneCricket)

Prediction: With plethora of match-winners in their rank, it won't be surprising to see MI clinch the title. It is worth mentioning that there is a pool of local talents who're yearning to learn and contribute. They have a good balance in the side with a formidable reserve bench. Moreover, the venues are nothing short of home to them, and henceforth, it should be an added advantage.