Royal Challengers Bangalore predicted XI
One of the franchises with teams in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League is Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). 18 players in all were purchased by Bangalore at the Mumbai WPL auction. In fact, they made history when they were the first team to acquire a player in the first WPL auction. And it was a huge one. Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the India Women, was purchased by RCB for Rs 3.4 crore, and she was later elected captain of the team.
Richa Ghosh, a daring young keeper-batter, and Renuka Singh, an Indian medium pacer, were two of Bangalore’s other significant acquisitions for the WPL, which will be contested from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai. As one of their major overseas purchases, they chose the Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry for Rs. 1.7 crore. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) would consider themselves quite fortunate to have hired Sophie Devine, the captain of New Zealand, for a pittance of Rs. 50 lakh. With significant international purchases, RCB continued to have luck. For Rs 40 lakh each, they bought Megan Schutt, an Australian pacer, and Heather Knight, the captain of England, as well as Dane van Niekerk, a South African all-rounder, for Rs 30 lakh.
We examine Royal Challengers Bangalore’s probable starting 11 for the WPL 2023 season as they get ready.
Openers: Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Devine
Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine, RCB’s veteran opening batswomen, are set to do so. Mandhana is one of the most successful female T20I players in history. She has scored 2802 runs in 116 games at an average of 27.74, a strike rate of 123.87, and 22 half-centuries. During playing Ireland Women in the T20 World Cup, Mandhana scored her highest ever score of 87. She fell short against Australia in the semifinals, though. She will therefore be eager to have a significant influence in the WPL.
Middle-order and all-rounders: Heather Knight, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh (wk), Disha Kasat, Kanika Ahuja
One of the most recognisable figures in women’s international cricket is England captain Heather Knight. The right-handed hitter has scored 1583 runs in 98 T20 Internationals with a strike rate of 118.31 and 104 fifty-plus scores. The 32-year-old has taken 21 scalps thanks to her useful off-spin. Knight has taken 56 wickets and amassed over 3500 runs in ODIs.
Ellyse Perry, an excellent international all-arounder, is available from Australia for RCB. She has played in 138 T20 Internationals, averaging 31 and scoring 1528 runs with seven fifty-plus scores. She has taken 122 wickets with her fast bowling at an average of 19 and an economy rate of 5.85. The 32-year-old is a true match-winner with bat and ball and has 3386 runs and 161 wickets in ODIs.
Bowlers: Megan Schutt, Renuka Thakur, Shreyanka Patil, Preeti Bose
The Royals Challengers Bangalore bowling assault will be led by Megan Schutt of Australia and Renuka Thakur of India. One of the most seasoned fast bowlers currently competing on the world stage is Schutt. Her T20I record is excellent. She has taken 123 wickets in 95 matches for a remarkable average of 16.05 and an economy rate of 6.22. She has one five-for and four five-wicket hauls to her name. The 30-year-old has 112 kills in ODIs at a stunning average of 23.43, including five four-fors.
In the course of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Renuka Thakur made history. In the Group B match between the two teams, she destroyed that England top-order and finished with remarkable stats of 5/15, the greatest by an Indian player in the competition. In her brief international career, Thakur has shown she is a true wicket-taker. She has 31 wickets at an average of 23.45 and an economy rate of 6.43 in 32 T20I games. The 27-year-old has taken 18 wickets in seven one-day matches and has three four-wicket hauls to her record.