Mumbai Indians Gear Up for WPL Season with High Hopes

After clinching the title in the previous season of the Women's Premier League (WPL), the Mumbai Indians (MI), the most successful team in the competition, are fully prepared to kick off the new season. They will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their opening match on January 9. Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of MI who led the Indian women's cricket team to World Cup victory, aims to maintain that winning spirit as they strive to defend their league title.

During a pre-season press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, Harmanpreet expressed her determination, stating, 'Whenever I step onto the field, I tell my team that I want to win the trophy. This new year begins with the WPL, and I feel the same energy and excitement as we enter the tournament. Our mindset is aligned. We have won two trophies in the last three seasons, and we want to perform well this season to win again.'

She further added that this is her first job in Mumbai, a city that holds special significance for her, as she has consistently seen positive outcomes whenever she plays here. 'I am confident this season will be special too. I am thrilled that the last season and year were great for women's cricket overall. I hope this year starts off in a similar fashion.'

This season, the team is also expected to draw inspiration from Lisa Keightley, a two-time World Cup winner, who is taking on the captaincy in her inaugural WPL season with the Mumbai Indians. Lisa spoke about the all-female coaching staff and how it reflects the Mumbai Indians' philosophy and Nita M. Ambani's vision of empowering women through sports. In a press release, she mentioned, 'Having a complete panel of female coaches is truly exciting and a new experience for me. We are providing an opportunity for supporters and women worldwide to see women in coaching roles. From this perspective, I would love to see it happen more often, and I believe you will see it in the next ten years.'