'Harmanpreet Got a Lot ...' Charlotte Edwards Comments on MI

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The much-awaited Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 is all set to kick off on Friday, March 4, with the opening game set to be played between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians at Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.

The sister franchise of the five-time IPL champions made a splash by acquiring some of the most prominent international players during WPL 2023 auction. Harmanpreet Kaur and Natalie Sciver were two of their standout purchases.

They also appointed Harmanpreet Kaur as the captain of the team. While Mumbai Indians have left no stone unturned in the auction, their bowling attack seems to lag behind the other teams.

Pooja Vastrakar is the only specialist pacer in Mumbai Indians' lineup, but their coach Charlotte Edwards is optimistic about the potential of England all-rounder Issy Wong as a bowler and believes she can add depth to the team's bowling attack.

Speaking exclusively to News18 CricketNext, Charlotte Edwards opined that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has a plethora of bowling options to experiment with in the tournament.

“Issy Wong is an exciting talent with the ball and we’ve got some really good options domestically as well. Harmanpreet got lots of options haven’t you (Kaur nods) and I’m really confident that we’ve got a really well-balanced bowling attack."

Edwards further conceded that Amelia Kerr has got a plethora of experience and can team up with Pooja Vastrakar, which will further provide a balance to the team's bowling attack.

"I think Amelia Kerr’s done pretty well in international cricket so far, as have some of the other players and we are really happy with our bowling options in these conditions." 

When asked if Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians will have an edge in WPL due to their prior IPL participation, Edwards said that every team looks strong on paper, and it will eventually come down to delivering results on the field. 

"It’s only a five-team tournament, all teams are very strong and the calibre of players that we’ve got involved for this tournament are some of the best in the world so, any of the five teams on paper look strong and can win the WPL. It’s all about who plays well over the next 3-4 weeks."