Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz eye powerplay gains

Navi Mumbai, Jan 13 (PTI) UP Warriorz need to sort out their top-order while Delhi Capitals would aim to improve their powerplay bowling as both sides look for their first win in the Women's Premier League here on Wednesday.

Delhi Capitals, the losing finalists of the first three seasons, have not made an ideal start under the new leadership of Jemimah Rodrigues. It is still early days but Rodrigues and Co. would be desperate to get their campaign back on track.

Their bowling in the powerplay has a left a lot to be desired and that is the main area of improvement going into their third fixture.

"I think definitely our powerplay bowling. I think we need to get our plans more sorted. But again, it's tough to bowl when Sophie Devine is in such great form," Rodrigues said after the loss to Gujarat Giants.

The positives for Delhi Capitals have thus far been the performance of bowlers Shree Charani and Nandani Sharma, whose confidence must be sky high following the hat-trick on Sunday night.

UP Warriorz, on the other hand, need to bat well in the powerplay. Harleen Deol and Kiran Navgire have opened alongside Meg Lanning in the first two games but both moves did not work. The team management needs to settle the issue on Lanning's partner and give her a reasonable rope.

The Indian pace duo of Kranti Goud and Shikha Pandey too need to up their game. Deandra Dottin also needs to bounce back from the nightmare caused by Grace Harris, who smashed the West Indian all over the park in a 32-run over.

"There are definitely areas we need to tidy up - particularly at the top of the order, myself included. We had too many dot balls early," skipper Lanning said after the RCB loss.

The Squads: Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Shafali Verma, Marzianne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Lizelle Lee, Deeya Yadav, Taniyaa Bhatia, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani, Alana King.

UP Warriorz: Meg Lanning (c), Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield, Kiran Navgire, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Asha Sobhana, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, G. Trisha, Pratika Rawal, Charli Knott.

Match starts 7.30pm IST. PTI BS PDS PDS