WPL 2023: Delhi Capitals' Meg Lanning slams second consecutive fifty

Delhi Capitals racked up 211/4 against UP Warriorz in the fifth match of the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Skipper Meg Lanning laid the foundation for DCW's innings. She whacked a 42-ball 70, a knock laced with 10 fours and 3 sixes. It was her second consecutive fifty in the tournament. Here are the stats.

Lanning was at her absolute best, carrying from where she left in the last encounter. She started watchfully but accelerated after facing 10 balls. The DCW skipper raced to her half-century in the ninth over bowled by Sophie Ecclestone. Lanning completed her fifty off just 32 balls. She smashed three maximums en route to her fifty. Lanning smashed 70 off 42 balls.

Lanning smashed her second consecutive half-century of the tournament. She slammed a match-winning 72 in the opener against RCBW. The Australian captain is now the current Orange Cap holder, having scored 142 runs in two encounters at an incredible average of 71. She surpassed West Indies' Hayley Matthews on the list (124 runs from two matches).

As per ESPNcricinfo, Lanning had smashed just 20 runs off 34 balls in six innings against Shabim Ismail (T20s) before this game. Lanning smashed her for 25 runs off 17 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) in tonight's match.

Lanning, who recently guided Australia to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup title, fetched a sum of Rs. 1 crore at the 2023 WPL player auction. She would now look to emulate her success in DC colors.

Lanning is the only skipper across men's and women's cricket to clinch five ICC titles as skipper. Under her leadership, Australia lifted the ICC Women's T20 World Cup titles in 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023. Last year, she guided the Aussies to the ODI World Cup glory. With Australia's win in the 2023 T20 WC, Lanning overtook Ricky Ponting, who owns four such titles.