The second season of the Women’s Premier League or the WPL, as it is called, not only brought the first-ever Trophy for the Royal Challengers Bangalore but also brought thrill, excitement and emotions, which eventually made it successful.
Right from the beginning of the season, which was a last-ball thriller between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, to the enigmatic final between RCB and Delhi Capitals, which ended with a historical win for the Smriti Mandhana-led RCB.
While the first season of the WPL was all about excitement and enthusiasm, the second season turned out to be an opportunity for many domestic players in India, who might be seen donning the blue very soon.
Here are some players who not only introduced themselves to the cricket world but also left an indelible mark in this season of the recent WPL:
Asha Sobhana
The 33-year-old leg-spin bowler, Asha Shobhna, turned out to be a gem for the Bangalore team. In ten games, she went on to pick 12 wickets, with an amazing average of 15 and was one of the two bowlers, who went on to pick a five-wicket haul.
In the very first game which was against UP Warriorz, Asha Sobhana wreaked havoc and dismissed the likes of Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Shweta Sehrawat and Kiran Navgire, she not only brought RCB back into the game but won it for them by a mere margin of 2 runs.
Sobhana, who is from Kerala, is yet to feature in the Indian team, and her recent efforts in the WPL will be a big push for her to get into the Indian team to showcase those googlies at the greatest level.
Shweta Sehrawat
The girl who was a part of the team that brought the first-ever ICC trophy for India Women, Shweta Sehrawat, was the one who hammered the winning runs in the final of the Women’s U19 World Cup 2023.
The 20-year-old Shweta also led the India A team to victory in the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Later on, she was bought by the UP Warriorz in the auctions for a whopping sum of 40 lakhs. She started the year 2024 by hammering a double century in the List A game and becoming the first player to do so.
Shweta took no time to introduce herself at the WPL, hammered 31 off 25 deliveries and almost pulled off the game in her team’s favour. She continued the momentum and scored 45 in the second game as well. With her exceptional temperament and hitting abilities, we can soon see her in the senior women’s team.
Sajeevan Sajana
Sajeevan Sajana made a special appearance in the very first game of the season. She came to bat when Mumbai Indians needed 5 runs off 1 delivery, and playing her first-ever WPL game, Sajeevan hammered a six, helping MI win the season opener. There could not be a better start for any player than this.
Being an all-rounder, she scored 86 runs in just 6 innings while batting in the lower order and was not out in three of them. She even picked up a couple of wickets, but the reason she gained all the traction was through her fielding efforts by picking up five stunning catches while fielding near the fences.
A three-dimensional player like Sajeevan is all a team needs to win championships, and undoubtedly, it is hoped she will don the Indian jersey one day.
Tanuja Kanwar
The slow left-arm bowler, Tanuja Kanwar from Himachal Pradesh, played a brilliant brand of cricket for Gujarat Titans. Even though she made her debut in the last season, but could not make much of an impact. Also, she was the most expensive uncapped domestic player.
This season, she played all eight games and scalped 10 wickets. She was among India’s top 5 leading wicket-takers in the WPL season 2. With Rajeshwari Gaikwad not playing much white-ball cricket, the 26-year-old, Tanuja Kanwar can be a perfect replacement at the greatest level.
These were the standout performers in the WPL who are among uncapped domestic players. But they may soon be seen in the Indian colours making their debut at the greatest level.
Image source– WPL website
