Fantasy: Don't ignore Healy, Mandhana despite their underpar start

Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on UP Warriors in Match 8 of the ongoing Women’s Premier League, 2023. RCB have lost all their three games and will be battling for survival. UPW, on the other hand, have secured a win but are yet to put in a complete performance. 

Pitch and Conditions

The wicket at the Brabourne Stadium is known to be an absolute belter, and expect the two sides to display an array of strokes all around the ground in this clash. The average score in the first innings is around the 190-run mark, and the match will surely be a high-scoring affair. 

On any ground where the average run rate across the innings is around nine runs per over, the bowlers will have their task cut out, and the smaller dimensions of the stadium do not make it any easier. 

With the dew factor also set to play a significant role, the two captains will be looking to chase down the total as the wicket becomes much better in the second innings, and the ball comes nicely onto the bat. 

Suggested teams

While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.

Captaincy suggestions

For small leagues: Tahlia Mcgrath ( c ), Heather Knight (vc)

For grand leagues: Smriti Mandhana ( c ), Alyssa Healy (vc)

Stats That Matter

> Tahlia Mcgrath mustered an unbeaten 90 in the last game alongside picking a wicket. She bats at four and is a four-over bank with the ball which makes her the most profitable fantasy player in this contest.

> In three games, RCB bowlers have taken only nine wickets. Four of them have gone to the part-time off-spinner Heather Knight. While that is her secondary skill, she has also looked in top form with the bat. 

> Megan Schutt has been disappointing for RCB and has taken only one wicket in 3 games having conceded 103 runs.

> Sophie Ecclestone has dismissed Sophie Devine three times in W-T20s at an average of 8.7.

Grand League Punts

> This fixture is a great chance to invest in Smriti Mandhana and Alyssa Healy as captaincy options if you want to make big bucks. They have been underwhelming with their performances but given the batting-friendly nature of the pitches in this tournament, a big knock shouldn’t be far away. Mandhana especially has been in great touch. If she bats 14-15 overs, she can win the game by a comfortable margin for both her team and yours. 

> Renuka Thakur hasn’t had the kind of tournament she would have liked. In three games, she has only one wicket to show for her efforts. However, she relies on swing. Match 7 consistently aided lateral movement for the first time in the tournament. Thus she is worth playing a punt on. If the ball swings in any capacity, the right-arm seamer would well in play. 

Here are the Top 10 Criclytics Projections 

Probable XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Smriti Mandhana ( c ), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Shreyanka Patil, Poonam Khemnar, Renuka Singh, Sahana Pawar

UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy (c/wk), Shweta Sehrawat, Kiran Navgire, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone, Shabnim Ismail, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Anjali Sarvani