WPL 2024: Presenting the list of award winners
Royal Challengers Bangalore trounced Delhi Capitals by eight wickets to be crowned champions of the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) season. RCB, who won their maiden T20 tournament, showed remarkable character in the Eliminator and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The Capitals too played an aggressive brand of cricket throughout the tournament. However, they faltered in the all-important final.
Sophie Molineux: Player of the Match
DC had a brilliant start after they elected to bat. Skipper Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma aced the first seven overs, scoring 64/0. However, the eighth over saw Sophie Molineux dismiss Shafali (44), Jemimah Rodrigues, and Alice Capsey. It was a game-changing moment for RCB, which triggered DC's batting collapse. For her exceptional effort, Molineux was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Deepti Sharma: Most Valuable Player of WPL 2024
UP Warriorz star all-rounder Deepti Sharma displayed her all-round skills throughout WPL 2024. She racked up 295 runs from eight games at an incredible average of 98.33. The tally includes three half-centuries. Deepti, who also bowls off-spin, took 10 wickets and maintained an economy rate of 7.23. For her brilliant run, she was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of WPL 2024.
Perry bags Orange Cap
Ellyse Perry played a match-winning knock for RCB in the final. She got the Royal Challengers over the line after losing Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine. The Aussie all-rounder slammed an unbeaten 37-ball 35 (4 fours). Perry also ended up bagging the Orange Cap. She racked up 347 runs from nine games at an average of 69.40 (two half-centuries).
Shreyanka Patil takes Purple Cap
Shreyanka Patil took a historic four-wicket haul in the final (4/12). She now has the best figures by a bowler in the WPL finals. Notably, Patil finished with the most wickets in WPL 2024. She took home the Purple Cap, having scalped 13 scalps from eight games at 12.07. Her compatriots Asha Sobhana (12) and Molineux (12) follow Patil on this tally.
WPL 2024: Other notable awards
Besides claiming the Purple Cap, Patil also picked up the Emerging Player of the WPL award. Young DC opener Shafali won the award for the most sixes of the season. She hammered 20 maximums. RCB's Georgia Wareham had the season's highest strike rate (163.23), while MI's S Sajana won the award for the season's best catch. Meanwhile, RCB also won the Fair Play award.