With the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023 starting on March 4, Indian cricket fans are excited about seeing their favourite female cricketers in action for their respective preferred franchises. The auction saw many cricketers attract staggering deals and they are now ready to hit the ground running. Some top bowlers from India and overseas will be in action in the first-ever edition of the Women's Premier League. WPL 2023 Schedule, Free PDF Download Online: Get Fixtures, Time Table With Match Timings in IST and Venue Details of Women's Premier League Inaugural Season.

The recently concluded Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa saw some fiery and witty bowling performances. Among the top performers were Sophie Ecclestone, Megan Schutt and Shabnim Ismail, all of whom will be in action in WPL 2023. The highly-awaited tournament gets underway tomorrow, with Gujarat Giants facing Mumbai Indians in the opener. Let us look at five bowlers who will be the ones to watch out for in the first season of the WPL. So, let us begin, shall we?

1. Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz)

Undoubtedly, one of the best all-rounders in modern-day cricket, Deepti Sharma, has proved her mettle throughout her international career. The off-spinner recently became the first Indian to take 100 wickets in T20Is. Deepti’s remarkable batting and bowling prowess made her the second-most expensive Indian cricketer – signed for Rs 2.6 crore by UP Warriorz – at the auction. The all-rounder, who possesses a stellar economy rate of 6.1 in T20Is, will be hoping to reinforce the spin department that boasts astounding bowlers like Sophie Ecclestone and Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

2. Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz)

It was certain that Sophie Ecclestone, the number one T20I-ranked bowler, would be one of the sought-after players at the WPL 2023 auction. During the Women's T20 World Cup 2023, the top bowler was in supreme form as she helped England reach the semis. The left-arm spinner has the ability to win games for her side on any day, especially when the match is played on a spin-friendly pitch. Ecclestone is also a lower-order batter and can play small cameos. UP Warriorz will expect Sophie Ecclestone to serve her natural role productively and thus help the team in their pursuit of the WPL 2023 title. On Which Channel WPL 2023 Will Be Telecast Live? How to Watch Women's Premier League T20 Cricket Matches Live Streaming Online?

3. Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Despite having gone down the pecking order recently, Ellyse Perry is still a match-winner for Australia. In the previously concluded series against India in December 2022, Perry turned the game for Australia with big knocks in extremely tough conditions. The multiple-time Women's T20 World Cup winner is a complete package in all three departments--batting, bowling, and fielding. Regarding justifying her price tag, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) did the right thing by acquiring Perry, as she can win a match with her all-around abilities. RCB will hope that the right-handed fast bowler can showcase her game-changing abilities and help them lift the coveted trophy on March 26.

4. Megan Schutt (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Without a doubt, Megan Schutt is one of the best pacers in the world in women’s cricket. Megan Schutt was one of the pillars behind Australia’s huge success in ICC tournaments, their most recent one being the Women's T20 World Cup title in South Africa. Australia won the title and Schutt finished as one of the best bowlers in the competition. Since her international debut in 2012, the right-handed pacer has become a preferred bowling option for the Kangaroos. During the 2020 T20 World Cup, the right-hander also took the most wickets (13), including four in the final game. Her consistent line and length leave batters clueless. As the tournament gets started, RCB will hope that Schutt performs at her best to help them emerge victorious. WPL 2023: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Other Batters to Watch Out for Inaugural Edition of Women's Premier League.

5. Shabnim Ismail (UP Warriorz)

Shabnim Ismail is currently the most feared pacer in the world. The right-handed fast bowler made her international debut in 2007, after which her fast-bowling proficiency helped her become the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in limited-overs format (ODIs and T20Is). Till now, the bowler has scalped 123 wickets in just 113 T20Is at an awesome average of 18.62. The pacer helped South Africa reach the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 final. UP Warriorz will be expecting the same level of performance from her when the competition starts.

Indian stars like Renuka Singh Thakur, Shikha Pandey and Pooja Vastrakar and overseas players like Marizanne Kapp, Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen and Nat Sciver-Brunt will also be ones to watch out for in WPL 2023. All five franchises will be expected to put up a great show, making the first-ever Women's Premier League a massive success.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2023 07:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).