WPL 2024: UP Warriorz SWOT Analysis: Strong top order, but selection headaches await Alyssa Healy’s women

The UP Warriorz were amongst the strongest teams in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Led by Alyssa Healy, they advanced to the playoffs where they lost to Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator.

In the league stage, they finished 3rd in the table with 8 points thanks to wins in 4 out of 8 matches. Against MI in the Eliminator, the Warriorz were bowled out for 110 in 17.4 overs after being asked to chase down a stiff target of 183.

Tahlia McGrath was their standout batter last season after she racked up 302 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike-rate of 158.11 with 4 fifties and a top score of 90 not out to her name.

England’s Sophie Ecclestone was simply outstanding after she took 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.61.

Devika Vaidya, Shabnim Ismail, Shivali Shinde and Simran Shaikh were the ones released by the Warriorz before the season. In the auction, they roped in Danni Wyatt, Vrinda Dinesh, Saima Thakor, Poonam Khemnar.

Let us analyse how UP Warriorz stack up for WPL 2024:
Strengths – Strong overseas lot

The Wariorz have a strong bunch of overseas players and they look a formidable unit. Sophie Ecclestone is currently the top-ranked bowler in T20Is and was also the leading wicket-taker for the Warriorz last season.

Tahlia McGrath is one of the world’s best all-rounders, especially in limited-overs cricket. Although she wasn’t up to the mark with the bat for the Warriorz last time around, she has the potential to make a strong comeback.

Grace Harris is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball and brings in a lot of value. Alyssa Healy has played a plethora of match-winning knocks for Australia and her role is going to hold a lot of importance.

The Warriroz also have Chamari Athapaththu, who was picked in place of Lauren Bell, who would be playing in the T20I series against New Zealand.

Weakness – Lack of depth in Indian bowling

Even as one should not doubt their overseas bunch, the Warriors lack a little depth in Indian bowling. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Deepti Sharma are going to play a cucial part in the spin departnemt along with Ecclestone, but their pace attack looks a little weakened after Shabnim Ismail left.

Anjali Sarvani has played for India and picked up 4 wickets last season for the Warriorz, but she may not be someone who could run through opposition batting lineups.

Opportunities

The Warriorz should be careful about the batting position of Grace Harris. Last year, Harris was one of their top performers after she scored 230 runs at an average of 57.5 and a strike-rate of 165.46. Harris can use the long handle to good effect.

If the Warriorz get off to a flying start, they could well promote Harris higher up the order as an attacking option. If she gets going, it will be tough for the opponents to stop her.

Threats

The Warriorz will be in with a selection conundrum surrounding the restriction of picking 4 overseas players in a playing XI. For the opening slots, the Warriorz have a talented pool to pick from. With Healy being their skipper, her opening partner has to be picked from the likes of Chamari Athapaththu, Danni Wyatt and Shweta Sehrawat.

Ecclestone and McGrath are two of the best in the business, and they are most likely to play. As their 4th foreigner, they have to choose between Wyatt, Harris and Athapaththu.

Even as Harris played wonderfully last season, it would be tough to leave out someone like Athapaththu, who recently won the Player of the Tournament award in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

If Harris is the 4th overseas player, the Warriors could go with Shweta Sehrawat as the opening partner for Healy.

UP Warriorz squad for WPL 2024

Retained

Alyssa Healy, Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Chamari Athapaththu, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, S. Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia Mcgrath.