WPL 2023 DC vs GG preview: Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals aim to seal playoff spot against struggling Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants have an uphill task of winning their renaming three league stage matches if they have to keep their playoff hopes alive. It is in this backdrop that Gujarat Giants will take on Delhi Capitals in match 14 of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on March 16.

The team has had a rough season in the WPL thus far as it has managed only a solitary win from the five matches it has played. The team now led by stand-in captain Sneh Rana lost both its matches against Mumbai Indians and has also tasted defeated at the hands of Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz. The team's only win came against bottom placed Royal Challengers Bangalore.

: WPL 2023 - Check the orange and purple cap holders

The Giants' problems started from the first day of the season when they lost the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians by a huge margin of 143 runs. It just wasn't the defeat that the team had to deal with that night as their captain Beth Mooney pulled her hamstring while batting and was eventually ruled out of the rest of the tournament.  With Mooney gone, Rana has had to steer the team through the rough patch.

But amid all the disappointments, there are a few positives that the team can draw inspiration from as it looks to save its season. All-rounder Harleen Deol is the team's leading run scorer this season. She has hit one half-century and accumulated 155 runs. Deol also pulled off a fielding masterclass against Mumbai Indians as she threw herself to save crucial runs and also took a stunning catch along with a run out from deep. Team's overseas opening batter Sophia Dunkley was brilliant against Royal Challengers Bangalore as she hit the tournament's fastest fifty, reaching the half-century in mere 18 deliveries. But it is bowling where the team is struggling the most. Ashleigh Gardner and Kim Grath are the teams top two leading wicket takers but have picked only 7 wickets and 6 wickets respectively.

Contrary to Gujarat Giants are Delhi Capitals, who have managed only one match whole season. The Capitals only loss came against all-conquering Mumbai Indians. Discounting that loss, Delhi Capitals defeated Gujarat Giants in the reverse fixture and recorded two wins over Royal Challengers Bangalore and a victory against UP Warriorz.

Leading the way for Delhi Capitals is their opening pair of captain Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, and bowler Marizzane Kapp.

Lanning is leading the run-scoring charts of WPL 2023 after scoring 221 runs. With 33 fours, the Australian skipper also has hit the most fours this season. Lanning's partner in crime is Verma who has smashes 10 sixes in the tournament, the most by any batter. Verma's personal best of 84 is also the third highest score of the season and her strike rate of 190.42 is the fourth best in the league.

If Lanning and Verma are doing the bulk of the scoring, then Kapp is single handedly taking care of the bowling exploits. Kapp has currently bowled the most maidens (2), most dot balls (67) and most dot balls in a single innings (16) this season. Her 5/15 against Gujarat Giants is also the best bowling performance of the season.

Delhi Capitals have form by their side and a victory against Gujarat Giants at Brabourne Stadium should be enough for them to seal a playoff spot.

The 2023 season of the Women's Premier League is being broadcast on the Sports 18 network. Online the WPL matches can be streamed via the Jio Cinema app.

The match starts at 7.30 PM IST.