Anjum Chopra hopes to start WPL 2023 with a bang
Women cricketers from around the world, divided into five teams, will light up the city of Mumbai as the Women’s Premier League begins on Saturday with a mouth-watering clash between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians Women at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
Better late than never – a phrase that fits perfectly when talking about the Women’s Premier League (WPL). For the past 15 years, the Indian summer has been mostly about men’s franchise cricket, but now the dose of entertainment will be doubled. Women cricketers from around the world, divided into five teams, will light up the city of Mumbai as the WPL begins on Saturday when Beth Mooney’s Gujarat Giants in DY Patil and Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians Women in a mouth-watering clash. Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
After years of lobbying by fans, the BCCI has finally delivered on its promise of women’s cricket with the WPL. In 2008, when the Indian Premier League (IPL) came into existence, it marked a milestone in the history of Indian cricket and after that, it only got bigger and better. The same is expected from the Women’s Premier League.
Read this also | WPL 2023: Tournament opener Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians rescheduled – Check out new timings
Ahead of the season opener, former Indian skipper Anjum Chopra interacted with select media and said that it is a different feeling and hence, one should buckle up and enjoy the ride.
“It’s been a long journey. Finally, the league is happening, there will be the first toss between the two franchises of the league… So, yeah! Quite a different feeling from where the game started, from where I started playing cricket. And that too who started playing years before me; from there till today, it has been a long journey. Just sit back and enjoy the ride,” Anjum said in an interaction provided by official broadcasters Sports18 and JioCinema. said while answering the question of News18 CricketNext.
A new league certainly brings limitless challenges to the table and the same applies when marquee players including Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana are expected to mix with players from different parts of the country and the world.
He said, ‘The challenge will always be there for the players, especially for the Indian players. It is a professional sport where you are signed for a fixed amount and everything is relatively new. Therefore, the more players play, the more they adapt to the conditions. It is going to be challenging for everyone.
Like the IPL, the WPL will also be a platform for age-group cricketers who would never have thought of sharing a dressing room with the likes of Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Harmanpreet and Smriti to name a few.
Anjum said, “But a bigger and brighter picture I could see – just look for an under-19 player.”
“For example, I played for Delhi Under-19 and then for North Zone, if that can happen. In 2023, I am winning an Under-19 World Cup and entering franchise cricket and then meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana! It’s a huge deal for them. If you ask them, they wouldn’t have thought of being here in this position right now. So, this Will be challenging, that’s what the game is about.”
Read this also | WPL 2023: Dawn of a new dawn for India’s next generation
Before signing, Anjum mentioned her favorites for the WPL 2023 opener. He added that Harmanpreet’s MI look strong on paper, while Deandra Dottin’s exclusion dealt a blow to Gujarat. But overall, she is looking forward to a bang-up start to the tournament.
“I see Mumbai Indians stronger on paper. And Gujarat Giants have suffered a blow – Deandra Dottin has been dropped and Kim Garth has replaced her. Harman is pitted against Beth Mooney in the competition, so I expect, it should be a great game,” concluded Anjum.
get the latest cricket news Here
