WPL 2024: UP Warriorz had a stellar run in the previous edition of the Women’s Premier League as they won four matches and lost four matches, ending third on the table and qualified for the knockouts but a loss against Mumbai Indians drew curtains on their campaign.
With the WPL 2024 season beckoning, UP Warriorz will aim to reconsider certain strategies and seek the right players ahead of the auction. Alyssa Healy led the team impressively in the maiden season and with the right mix of players, they can perhaps go all the way in the premium tournament.
Ahead of the WPL 2024 edition, the team retained 13 players and released 4, here is the comprehensive breakdown and a purse total of 4 Crores to spend at the mini auctions.
- Retained Players: Alyssa Healy, Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Lauren Bell, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, S. Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath
- Released Players: Devika Vaidya, Shabnim Ismail, Shivali Shinde, Simran Shaikh
Dobara Khelenge, Dobara Uttar Denge! 💛💜#UPWarriorzUttarDega #CapriSports #WPL pic.twitter.com/jmgdQ44sOx
— UP Warriorz (@UPWarriorz) October 19, 2023
READ MORE: WPL 2024: The Ultimate Guide To Gujarat Giants (GG) Ahead Of The Auction For Women’s Premier League 2024
With the retained core, let us delve into the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis to understand this better ahead of the WPL 2024 auction.
Strengths
One of the biggest strengths of the UP Warriorz unit is the likes of Alyssa Healy leading the team from the front and being the batter accumulating runs which is a massive bonus.
Leading by example 🤝#UPWarriorzUttarDega #WPL pic.twitter.com/TdBnRhzCv9
— UP Warriorz (@UPWarriorz) March 13, 2023
With international players like Grace Harris, Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone and Tahlia McGrath in the ranks with the likes of Deepti Sharma, Kiran Navgire, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad and with the U19 stars of Shweta Sehrawat and Parshavi Chopra; this team reeks of balance and can pose to be a threat to any side on a given day.
Weaknesses
One of the major concerns for UP Warriorz will be the lacuna of not having formidable finishers in the side. Even though they boast a strong top order and middle order, the lower middle order however seems not solid enough; it hinges heavily on Deepti Sharma to finish off the proceedings which does not inspire a lot of confidence. With a lot of options at their dismissal, it will be interesting to see what the right combination they opt for.
Opportunities
This could be the opportunity for the breakout stars of the U19 World Cup- Shweta Sehrawat and Parshavi Chopra to make an impact and seal their places consistently in the playing 11. With this season, they have the platform to put up dominant shows and showcase their talent. Another major opportunity will be to level up their knockout performance, qualify for the finals and lay their hands on the coveted title.
What we stand for.#UPWarriorzUttarDega #WPL pic.twitter.com/71YrANgfu4
— UP Warriorz (@UPWarriorz) March 16, 2023
Threats
With an abundance of skilful players, striking the right balance in the playing will be one to watch out for and with the league stage matches not being enough, a lot of the domestic stars might have to warm the benches to make way for the more experienced players.
What they will need to cover at the auctions of WPL 2024?
With five available spots, and one overseas player slot left UPW can aspire to acquire the services of:
- A finisher: Going into the auction, they will want a finisher preferably an all-rounder who can bat deep and be that extra bowling option.
- Premier pace bowling option: Although they have the likes of Tahlia McGrath and Lauren Bell, they will look to acquire a specialist pace bowling option to beef up the attack.
- Spinner: Sophie Ecclestone undoubtedly is one of the best spinners at the moment in world cricket. Still, she will need support from the other end and the acquisition of another spinner besides the presence of Deepti Sharma will do the UP Warriorz a world of good.
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