23 February 2024 , 06:00
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England star Alice Capsey will get the second Women's IPL underway when her Delhi Capitals side face Mumbai Indians this afternoon.
And the teenage all-rounder has set herself a simple goal at the start of a year that also includes a T20 World Cup in Bangladesh: "I want to entertain and inspire.”
Capsey, 19, rode the crest of a wave in 2023 with the debut WPL campaign followed by an Ashes series at home which brought record attendances - even if she admits her own form was inconsistent. But now she wants the momentum to build - both personally and for the women’s game.
“The exposure has skyrocketed massively,” the Red Bull athlete says. “It’s about making the most of it. The standard domestically, by a mile, is in the best place it’s ever been. But the biggest thing was the impact the Ashes had.
“That was the first time we saw the support we can get. We were selling out the main stadiums, which was huge. We want to continue it, make it be the norm. We don’t want it to just be during the Ashes with heightened emotions and that rivalry. Can it be for every series at home and away?”
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First, however, is the WPL - beginning with a rematch of last year’s final, which Mumbai won. Five teams will play each other twice in a pool stage with the top two facing off in the final on March 17.
Once Delhi’s campaign ends, Capsey will fly straight from India to New Zealand with the intention of joining England for the end of their five-game T20 series.
But the decision to commit to the WPL came with the World Cup in mind and she hopes that maximising the exposure to South Asian conditions can serve her well come September’s World Cup.
Alice Capsey in action for Delhi Capitals in last year's WPL. (Getty Images)
Alice Capsey is part of Red Bull's cricket roster, alongside men's Test captain Ben Stokes. (Red Bull Content Pool)“At the beginning it was a flat deck, a batter’s dream with small boundaries,” she says of last year’s tournament. “We were loving life. But I didn’t realise how quickly they deteriorated and having to adapt throughout the competition was something we all had to do.
“The biggest thing I took was how different the conditions can be in a flash, even during a game the ball can go from not spinning to turning drastically.
“I’ve been out there a couple of times since so to pick up all that knowledge and take it into the year is crucial and will hopefully stand me in good stead.”
Red Bull athlete Alice Capsey is an England and Delhi Capitals all-rounder. Find out more about her .
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