UP Warriorz fight to stay afloat as RCB search for lost rhythm

Close to four years on, head-scratching has become a familiar companion for UP Warriorz. Having slid continuously since a third place finish in 2023, their wretched run now threatens to stretch into a fourth season unless there is a sudden and dramatic upturn. They have tried almost everything. A near-total reset of the squad. A change at the top with Abhishek Nayar coming in as head coach. They even got Meg Lanning, the most successful captain in the history of women's cricket, to lead their side ahead of India star Deepti Sharma. None of it has shifted the needle meaningfully.

At its core, the problem may be simpler, and more uncomfortable. The WPL is, fundamentally, an Indian domestic tournament, and UPW have repeatedly failed to extract consistent value from their Indian players. The overseas names have rotated, leadership has evolved, but the returns from the domestic group have remained stubbornly thin. It reflects in their season's numbers right at the top - they average 12.16 runs for the opening wicket with Kiran Navgire returning scores of 1,5,0, 10, 0, 0.

Mathematically, hope still flickers. UPW will almost certainly need to win both their remaining games to stay alive. Even one victory might keep them afloat, but only via a maze of permutations that offer little comfort. It is a narrow path, and one that allows no further slips.

They come into their penultimate contest after a rare one-week break: time to reflect, recalibrate, and perhaps reset a few mental markers. Breaks, as their opponents will know, can change momentum quickly. RCB's own season offers a cautionary counterpoint. They powered through a congested opening phase to reel off five straight wins, only to return from a short pause to find their golden touch dulled, suffering back-to-back defeats. They remain top of the table and are still well placed to finish there even with another loss, but momentum has begun to wobble. Heading into a summit clash with three defeats in succession, and questions surfacing this late, is rarely an ideal place to be. For UPW, the stakes are existential. For RCB, the concern is subtler but no less real: whether a brief dip is becoming a pattern.

When:UPW vs RCB, January 29, 19:30 IST

Where:BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara

What to expect: After a sluggish start, the last two games at the venue have offered noticeably better batting conditions, reflected in teams crossing 170 in each of the last four innings. By contrast, that mark was breached just once across the first eight innings. Even so, teams have defended successfully in the last two games here, giving captains with the chasing blinkers on, something to ponder.

Team News:

UP Warriorz

UP Warriorz have been dealt a significant blow with Phoebe Litchfield ruled out through injury. Amy Jones has been brought in as her replacement, but the situation also presents an opportunity to restore Deandra Dottin to the XI and pair her with Chloe Tryon.

The opening slot remains a concern. UPW may consider giving Harleen Deol another run at the top - she had just the one outing there this season - which could also allow the under-pressure Kiran Navgire some breathing space by moving her into the middle order.

Probable XI: Meg Lanning (c), Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Deandra Dottin, Deepti Sharma, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrwat (wk), Asha Sobhana, Sophie Ecclestone, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB will be mindful of the sudden dip in returns from their top order. Grace Harris and Georgia Voll have just one substantial innings apiece and will be keen to return among the runs before the playoffs. There may also be cause to revisit Shreyanka Patil's batting position, given her proven ability to create impact in limited time at the crease.

Probable XI:Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Shreyanka Patil, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare

What they said:

"We know the impact Shreyanka can create, and it's a very fair question [if she should be promoted from the current no. 10] because if she has more deliveries can she score a lot more? That's something we'll consider for sure going forward." - Malolan Rangarajan, RCB head coach