Matt Turner remains a penalty shootout superstar – but USMNT goalkeeper's hopes of becoming a Premier League No.1 look over after Nottingham Forest blunders

The American made the most of an opportunity to shine on Wednesday but his future at the City Ground is still uncertain

Matt Turner must have been so damn happy in that moment. His teammates were surrounding him, embracing him one by one. They were chanting "USA, USA USA!" in his honor. He was the hero here, the man who had led Nottingham Forest to victory.

What made that moment so sweet was knowing what came before it and, truthfully, what will come after it. Wednesday was one of few highlights for Turner this season. It's been a season of mistakes and criticism and setbacks, one that has almost certainly cost Turner his position as Nottingham Forest's starting goalkeeper.

Turner had his moment in the sun on Wednesday, having been handed the start due to FA Cup rules. He made the most of it, making the penalty kick save that booked them a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup and a date with Manchester United.

Realistically, though, Wednesday may end up being as good as it gets this season for Turner, who, despite his FA Cup heroics, now finds himself in a tough, tough spot on the club level ahead of some major moments on the international stage.

  • Getty

    A series of mistakes

    'Nightmare' may be a bit too harsh, but it's close to being a fair way of painting this picture. Turner's move to Forest was supposed to give him a new stage to shine. It has instead wrecked his confidence thanks to a series of mistakes that seemingly couldn't stop snowballing.

    Turner's shot-stopping ability has never been questioned. It has gotten him this far, after all. Despite a relatively late start as a goalkeeper, his ability to simply keep the ball out of the back of the net got him from Fairfield University to the New England Revolution and, ultimately, to Arsenal. Even that, however, has let him down in this first half-season as a Premier League starter.

    Largely, Turner's errors have come when asked to play with the ball at his feet. Manchester United legend Gary Neville labeled the American as "useless" with the ball after a number of errors culminated in a Marcus Rashford goal in December.

    Those errors seemingly sapped his confidence, as Turner hasn't even looked like his old self when it comes to saving the ball anymore. A recent finish by Gabriel Jesus in a loss to Turner's former club, Arsenal, earned Turner further criticism, as many believe the American could have done more to keep the ball out.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty

    Turner responds

    Turner, more than most, knows the loneliness of the goalkeeping position. His first real introduction to an American audience came due to a mistake, with a sequence during his college days landing him a spot on SportsCenter's Not Top 10. Since then, mistakes have largely been few and far between. That is, until this season.

    Turner knows it, too. He's aware that things haven't gone well. And, in a recent interview with ESPN, he took ownership of it all.

    "This is a results business," he said. "And we haven't been getting the results that we probably deserve or need."

    "Everything that could possibly have gone wrong in certain moments has gone completely wrong," he added. "Sometimes as goalkeepers you might get away with one or two things, and it feels like this season I've gotten away with zero. It's tough to take."

    Turner is tied for second in the Premier League in errors leading to goals with three. And, inevitably, those errors led Nottingham Forest, a notably unstable club, to try and shake things up in the January window.

  • Getty/GOAL

    Forest make a move

    Turner's status as No. 1 was always on shaky ground. Shortly after signing him from Arsenal this summer, Forest brought in another international goalkeeper, Greece's Odysseas Vlachodimos. For a time in the fall, Vlachodimos took over for Turner, who snatched the job back heading into the new year.

    Forest, though, weren't done wheeling and dealing. Before the January transfer window closed, the club went out and signed Belgian shot-stopper Matz Sels from Strasbourg, seemingly in response to Turner's errors. In just a matter of months, the club went out and signed three legitimate first-team goalkeepers, proving that Forest had little faith in Turner despite their move for him in the summer.

    Upon his arrival, Sels was immediately thrust into the XI, for a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, a potentially key result in the relegation race. It's expected that he'll be back in goal this coming weekend against Newcastle, too.

    But, in between, Turner was handed a chance at redemption in the FA Cup, and he certainly made the most of it.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    Turner saves the day

    With Sels ineligible for Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Bristol City, Forest turned back to Turner. For some, it would have been difficult to rise to such an occasion. Just days after being told you weren't good enough, Turner was thrown back into the team, not on merit but because of a technicality.

    Forest went up 1-0 early, with a goal from Divock Origi easing any nerves. Those nerves came rushing back just moments later, though. After a fantastic diving save from Turner on a long-range effort, Forest still conceded, with the team's inability to clear the ball leading to a looped finish from Jason Knight in the 14th minute.

    Turner, despite his save, earned some criticism for that sequence. It was unfair, truthfully, with those on social media going at him largely basing that criticism on his past mistakes. There would be no criticizing him by the end, though, as he proved to be Forest's hero.

    Long a penalty shootout expert, Turner flexed his skillset yet again on Wednesday. One big stop was all he needed, and it came in the second round of kicks when he pushed away a shot from Sam Bell. Forest's takers took care of business and onto the next round they went, thanks at least in part to Turner's big save.

    “It has to give him confidence," said Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo. "We know it is not easy for him after the decision we took to change in the Premier League, but his response is of a top professional. We are so happy. It was tough but it was worth it. The attitude and the character to never give up makes me very happy."

Harry Kane reacts to Bayern Munich loanee Josip Stanisic scoring in Bayer Leverkusen rout as Thomas Tuchel bemoans not having ‘nice English rule’

Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel gave their thoughts on Bayern Munich loanee Josip Stanisic scoring for Bayern Leverkusen against his parent club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Kane and Tuchel reacted to Stanisic scoring
  • Bayern loanee scored against his ex-club
  • Stanisic went out on loan in the summer
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Stanisic opened the scoring for Bayer Leverkusen in the 18th minute before Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong added to Bayern Munich's misery. After the harrowing 3-0 defeat against the league leaders, Harry Kane reacted to Stanisic's goal against his parent club while Thomas Tuchel lamented about Germany not having the "English rule".

  • Advertisement

  • WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

    Speaking to , Kane said, "The club made a decision at the start of the season and it is what it is. He’s a good player and I trained a few times with him. That wasn’t the reason we lost the game. We lost because we weren’t good enough on the ball."

    Tuchel, on the other hand, told reporters post the game, "In England, there's a nice rule where when you loan a player out, they can't play against you. For me that makes more sense. I experienced it often in my career, that a player comes back to haunt the team – the rule unfortunately doesn't exist in Germany. Today we were the ones to suffer from this. I saw Stani earlier and congratulated him, but he's a Bayer Leverkusen player now. That's all I can say."

  • Getty Images

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    In England, on-loan players are forbidden to play against their parent club in the Premier League, although they can play in cup competitions. The 23-year-old was sent out on loan by The Bavarians at the start of the season. For Leverkusen, he has appeared in 19 games in the ongoing season. His maiden goal for Xabi Alonso's side came against Bayern on Saturday.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty Images

    WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

    Tuchel's side, who are now trailing Bayer Leverkusen by five points, will be next seen in action in the Champions League as they take on Lazio in the first leg of their round of 16 clash on Wednesday.

'Is it a joke?' – Chelsea owners slammed for considering selling Conor Gallagher to rivals Tottenham by ex-Blues midfielder with Todd Boehly told he has 'no idea what he's doing'

Former Chelsea star Emmanuel Petit has called out Blues ownership for considering the sale of Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Chelsea considering Gallagher sale
  • Petit slams club for considering sale
  • Spurs interested in the midfielder
  • Getty

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Gallagher has recently been linked with a move to Ange Postecoglou's side who are looking to sign a final-third midfielder to secure their hopes of fighting for the title. For Chelsea, Gallagher has been a standout in what has been a very disappointing season so far, therefore, Petit has criticized Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for even considering the sale of the 23-year-old.

  • Advertisement

  • WHAT PETIT SAID

    Talking to DAZN Bet, Petit said: "I understand Chelsea’s frustration with Gallagher potentially going to Tottenham. And you know what, I was surprised to read that in the newspapers, I thought to myself, 'Is it a joke? What's the point, after asking him to come back from Crystal Palace?'

    "He was enjoying his life over there, his game over there, he was becoming a different player, and they asked him to come back to the club. They bought thousands of players and now because they need money, they're going to sell probably one of their best players, and an English player on top of it," he continued.

    "I think they don't learn from their mistakes because it happened with Mason Mount. So what is the point? I mean, it's very important for the supporters to get some English players in the team. For me, identity is very important.

    "If you want to sell Gallagher because you spent more than £1billion on transfers in one year, then you have no idea what you are doing in the club. But on top of it, you are going to sell to Tottenham, your neighbours, one of the biggest rivals in the Premier League? Come on guys!" he added.

    "Is anyone advising Boehly sometimes because I don't know what's going on in this club? They should keep Gallagher. Obviously, they want to sell players, they have a lot of players to sell in the dressing room."

  • Getty Images

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Gianluca DiMarzio claimed that Chelsea have set a price tag of £35 million ($45 million) for Gallagher if he is to move to north London in the winter. During the previous summer transfer window, Tottenham had indicated that they were interested in signing the England international. Even though Chelsea was amenable to the arrangement, it had not been completed.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • WHAT NEXT FOR GALLAGHER?

    It is still unlikely that the deal for Gallagher's move to north London will materialize due to Chelsea's high asking price for the former Crystal Palace star. He will next be in action for the Blues when they take on Preston North End in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday, January 7 at Stamford Bridge.

The Lioness line! England women to be honoured as plans to rename London Overground lines revealed by TfL

Transport for London has announced that it will name one of its London Overground lines after the Lionesses to honour the England team's achievements.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • England women honoured with London Overground line
  • 'The Lioness line' will run through Wembley
  • Follows iconic achievements under Sarina Wiegman
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    TfL announced last year that it would be renaming six of its London Overground lines and on Thursday it was revealed that one of them will be known as 'the Lioness line', following the remarkable milestones that England have hit under Sarina Wiegman's charge over the last 18 months. The line will run from Euston to Watford Junction and through Wembley.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty Images

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    It was at Wembley that the Lionesses won their first major tournament in the summer of 2022, lifting the European Championship trophy after beating Germany in extra time. They then followed that up last year with a run to the World Cup final, becoming the first senior England side to get there since the men won the tournament in 1966.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    When the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022, they did so in front of a crowd of 87,192. That is a record attendance for a Euros match, across both the men's and women's tournaments.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    WHAT NEXT FOR THE LIONESSES?

    England will play their first fixtures of 2024 later this month, taking on Austria and Italy in a pair of friendlies in Spain.

VIDEO: Mason Greenwood fires in fine late Marseille winner against Monaco to send Roberto De Zerbi wild on the touchline

Mason Greenwood proved to be the hero for Marseille once again in their Ligue 1 meeting with Monaco. The former Manchester United winger, who has been in fine form this season, settled a keenly-fought contest at Stade Velodrome when firing home in the 82nd minute. That effort led to his manager, Roberto De Zerbi, celebrating wildly on the touchline.

  • Late drama: Greenwood earns victory for Marseille

    Greenwood bagged a midweek brace for Marseille as they picked up three precious points against Union St Gilloise in Champions League competition. He was back doing the business on the domestic stage when facing Monaco.

    Inspiration was required from somewhere as that contest headed into the final eight minutes. Marseille were able to create one more golden opportunity, with the ball moved across the edge of the box and into Greenwood around the penalty spot. He made no mistake when crashing a well-struck strike into the roof of the net with his left foot.

  • Advertisement

  • Watch Greenwood spark wild celebrations with dramatic goal

  • How De Zerbi celebrated Greenwood's goal vs Monaco

    After finding the back of the net, Greenwood wheeled off towards the stands – jumping over an advertising hoarding in order to get closer to the home supporters. Marseille fans were literally bouncing after witnessing a stunning shot that left Monaco goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with no chance.

    Italian tactician De Zerbi was also unable to contain his excitement as he threw out his arms and raced back towards the dugout with his mouth wide open, before picking up a ball on the touchline and punting it into the air.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty Images

    Transfer talk: Greenwood seeing move speculated on

    Greenwood has been a man for the big occasion across his 18-month stint in France. He registered 21 Ligue 1 goals during his debut campaign, earning a share of the division’s Golden Boot with Ballon d’Or-winning Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele.

    He has taken his tally across all competitions this season to 14, with 12 of those efforts being recorded in the French top flight. The 24-year-old is generating transfer talk again, with it being suggested that Marseille may cash in at some point during 2026 – with Premier League giants United due 50 per cent of any fee that is generated.

Sussex tempt back Gillespie for coach's role

Jason Gillespie thought his days in county cricket were over when his family moved out to Australia but Sussex have tempted him back with a three-year deal

David Hopps20-Nov-2017Sussex have announced Jason Gillespie as their new head coach.The decision ends a period of increasingly feverish speculation in which Matt Prior, the former England wicketkeeper, lobbied publicly for a role in a club that he believes has “gone soft”.Gillespie’s move to Hove, following a brief spell working with Papua New Guinea, represents an about-turn on a decision to commit his future primarily to Australia.When he stood down as Yorkshire head coach last year, having led them to successive Championship titles, he said that the move of his family back to Australia had made it impractical for him to serve as a full-time coach in English county cricket.He was linked with the England role before Trevor Bayliss took charge in 2015 and also had a brief spell as Kent bowling coach earlier this year where the pull of the county circuit remained strong.Further reflection has caused a change of mind as Gillespie takes on the talk of reinvigorating a county that dominated English cricket under the tenure of Peter Moores in the first decade of the century.
He will find a club with exciting bowling stocks – Jofra Archer and George Garton are arguably the two most exhilarating young quicks in the country – but with vulnerabilities in their top-order batting, made worse by the premature retirement through injury of Matt Machan and the departure of their experienced opener, Chris Nash, to Nottinghamshire.A Sussex statement said: “We are thrilled that Jason has agreed to join us on an initial three-year contract. He will take up his post in the New Year, in time for our pre-season preparations and tour.”Gillespie, who will spend the rest of the year in Adelaide, where he coaches Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash, said: “I am thrilled to be given the opportunity of taking the reins at such a proud and traditional club like Sussex. I know that there is some excitement around the capabilities of the current playing group.”I look forward to getting over there and playing my role in helping Sussex achieve its on and off-field goals for 2018 and beyond.”It remains to be seen whether Gillespie will take up Prior’s lobbying for a role within the county where he spent his entire first-class career. But Prior has already tweeted his enthusiasm for a “fantastic” appointment, adding: “It’s a very good start to the club moving forward.”Rob Andrew, Sussex’s chief executive, said: “Jason is exactly the experienced head coach we had hoped we would attract to the role. He has enormous experience of the English county game after his very successful spell with Yorkshire.”We believe we have a very talented young squad and we need a bit a bit of stability and a coach of Jason’s experience to help mould a successful team over the next few years.”

Throwing in the towel, Pep? Man City boss Guardiola admits title rivals Arsenal & Liverpool are 'almost unstoppable'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are "almost unstoppable" amid tight title battle.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Guardiola says title rivals "almost unstoppable"
  • Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City in three-way battle
  • Jurgen Klopp's side lead with two points covering top three
  • Getty Images

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    As the title battle between Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal has started to slowly boil towards the end of the season, Guardiola has admitted that his side will have to strive hard to retain the title as both the Gunners and the Reds do not seem to be in the mood to drop points.

  • Advertisement

  • WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

    Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: "How they [our opponents] are playing, even Aston Villa but especially, Arsenal and Liverpool. They are scoring three, four, five goals a day. So that means they are almost unstoppable."

  • Getty Images

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    So far in February, Arsenal have defeated West Ham by six goals, scored five against Burnley, and put three past both Newcastle and Liverpool. Meanwhile, Liverpool bagged three against Burnley, and put four past Brentford and Luton Town. Currently, Klopp's men lead the pack on 60 points with City one behind on 59 and Arsenal on 58 with 12 matchdays remaining.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • WHAT NEXT FOR THE TITLE RACE?

    Liverpool will have the chance to extend their lead as they are the first of the title contenders to play on the next matchday. The Reds take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday, March 2, while Manchester City take on city rivals Manchester United on Sunday. Arsenal end the matchday with a Monday evening kickoff against Sheffield United.

‘Wales forever Mr Lively’ – Sir Anthony Hopkins sends message to Ryan Reynolds after Deadpool actor accepts Emmy award for Welcome to Wrexham

Ryan Reynolds has been sent a “Wales forever Mr Lively” message by fellow movie star Sir Anthony Hopkins following Welcome to Wrexham’s Emmy win.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Documentary series lands prestigious prize
  • Recognition for efforts in North Wales
  • Movie stars accept & acknowledge top award
  • Getty/FX

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    The popular FX-produced television series has landed another prestigious prize on the back of season two airing in 2023 – which showcased the Red Dragons’ stunning National League title triumph, while also covering promotion for the club’s women’s team and several local community stories.

  • Advertisement

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Reynolds accepted Wrexham’s Emmy award while dressed up as his Deadpool on-screen alter ego – while holding a broken trophy loaned to him by Wolverine star Hugh Jackman – and made a point of including a “Cymru am byth, b*tches” message within his speech.

  • WHAT HOPKINS SAID TO EYNOLDS

    That nod was well received by Port Talbot native Hopkins – the Oscar-winning star of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and ‘The Father’ – with the legendary actor posting his own “Wales forever” message to “Mr Lively” after seeing efforts in North Wales recognised.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

    It has been confirmed that ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ will be back for a third series in 2024, with it possible that another successful promotion bid will be covered there – with Phil Parkinson’s side currently riding high in the League Two table.

Wrexham's first January signing is a goalkeeper! Phil Parkinson gives seal of approval as new Red Dragons arrival outlines starting XI target

Wrexham sealed their first signing of the January transfer window, with goalkeeper Luke McNicholas penning a permanent deal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Wrexham sign McNicholas on a permanent deal
  • Joined Welsh club in the summer on loan
  • Parkinson impressed with "good young goalkeeper"
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Red Dragons completed the signing of McNicholas on a short-term contract in the summer from Irish side Sligo Rovers, following Ben Foster's decision to hang up his gloves in the summer. McNicholas' contract had a buy-clause in January and Wrexham have now opted to activate it. Parkinson has been impressed with the shot-stopper, who has been the third-choice behind Arthur Okonkwo and Mark Howard.

  • Advertisement

  • WHAT PARKINSON SAID

    The Wrexham coach stated: "When we signed Luke, we did so with the protection of an option to make his signing permanent this month, if he impressed us. He’s a good young goalkeeper, we’re enjoying working with him and he has impressed during his time with us, so we are delighted to complete his permanent signing."

  • Getty/GOAL

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    McNicholas has represented Ireland at the Under-18 level and becomes the sixth Irish member in the Wrexham roster alongside James McClean, Anthony Forde, Thomas O'Connor, Eoghan O'Connell and Liam McAlinden.

    The 24-year-old said on the move: "I'm absolutely delighted. Since I’ve come over, I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been a great group to come into, they’ve been really welcoming, and I’m really pleased to finally make my deal here a permanent one. I’m going to keep pushing in training, and to continue learning from the goalkeepers at the club to hopefully get my chance and the number one spot at some point in the future."

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty Images

    WHAT NEXT?

    McNicholas is yet to make a League Two appearance but has played four times in the EFL Cup. It remains an uphill battle to replace Okonkwo between the sticks as the Arsenal loanee appears to be Parkinson's preferred choice.

    The Red Dragons are on course for back-to-back promotions as they are currently placed in second, just two points behind leaders Stockport. They return to action in League Two against Salford City on February 3, but before that take on Blackburn Rovers in an FA Cup fourth-round tie on Monday.

WPL 2024 team of the tournament: Mandhana captain as RCB and Delhi Capitals players dominate

Deepti Sharma is the only player not belonging to the two finalists to make the cut

Vishal Dikshit18-Mar-20241 Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals)
For the second season in a row, Shafali, not surprisingly, finished with the most sixes (20) in the WPL, double that of the second-best. While she continued to target the boundaries to provide Delhi Capitals rapid starts, this season saw a much more consistent Shafali who also took more responsibility towards building a solid opening stand with Meg Lanning. She also finished WPL 2024 with the best batting strike rate (minimum 75 balls faced) and shone in the final too with a 27-ball 44.2 Smriti Mandhana (capt, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The title-winning captain doubled her run-tally compared to her forgettable WPL 2023 and looked more assured and free in her strokeplay. Her runs at the top meant a lot more to RCB because she didn’t find a stable opening partner in the tournament. She also impressed with her astute captaincy, field settings and use of resources to be named captain of this XI. In the modest chase in the final, she steered her team almost all the way.Related

  • Anatomy of champions: How RCB went from 0-5 to WPL winners in a year

  • Perry and spinners steer RCB to WPL title

  • Mandhana shuns the spotlight as 'Queens 2024' party at the Kotla

  • Smart Stats – Deepti Sharma bags impact honours in WPL 2024

3 Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals)
As imposing and imperious as she has ever been, Lanning was the solid batter at one end with a regular flow of fours while Shafali targeted the sixes. After taking home the orange cap last season, she finished second on the list this time, just behind Ellyse Perry, with another prolific and consistent season. She was as good as ever at finding the gaps on her way to striking more fours than anyone and struck four fifties, also the most, but couldn’t see her side out of a collapse in the final which left her in tears at the end.4 Jemimah Rodrigues (Delhi Capitals)
Barring the two-ball duck in the final, this WPL season saw a different avatar of Rodrigues whose free-flowing strokes were more powerful, more aerial, and more frequent. Otherwise not known for her six-hitting abilities, Rodrigues impressed with her consistency and along-the-ground strokes, especially in the Delhi leg where the lack of bounce suited her natural game. As compared to zero sixes off her bat in WPL 2023, this time she hit eight sixes and played a pivotal role at No. 3 by shooting up her strike rate from 128.57 to 153.59 in the two WPL seasons.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The Australian hand in winning the trophy, who first confirmed RCB’s knockout berth with a career-best 6 for 15, then lifted them from the pits of 49 for 4 in the eliminator and stayed not out on 35 when Richa Ghosh hit the winning runs on Sunday night. Her four unbeaten knocks gave her a staggering average of 69.40 in the tournament along with the orange cap.6 Richa Ghosh (wk, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
After starting the tournament with a bang – 62 off 37 against UP Warriorz – Ghosh was putting in blitzy performances in the middle order. Then came her stunning 51 off 29 in a high-pressure chase against Capitals to nearly snatch victory. That she led the team almost single-handedly against a top bowling attack in the second half of that chase spoke volumes of her ability to handle pressure-cooker situations. The Indian team management will hope this has prepared the 20-year-old for the big games in the forthcoming World Cups.7 Marizanne Kapp (Delhi Capitals)
A gun new-ball bowler. Powerplay specialist. Swing and seam movement. Dot-ball pressure. Name the skill and she had it this season, impressing at 34 despite battling recent illnesses and injuries. Coming on the back of solid all-round performances in Australia before the WPL, Kapp thrived in different conditions in both Bengaluru and Delhi. She was the main force Capitals used early on to break through before others rallied around her. She was the purple-cap holder until the final, the only game in which she went wicketless.She also set up a victory against RCB by smacking a 16-ball 32 to help Capitals post an imposing 194 before dismissing Mandhana and Ghosh in the chase.Jemimah Rodrigues and Shreyanka Patil were crucial cogs in their teams’ runs to the final•BCCI8 Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz)
One of the top India allrounders, Deepti showed a new facet to her T20 batting with a high-octane 88 off 60 against Gujarat Giants, her third fifty in a row, which nearly saw Warriorz mow down 67 in the last three overs. She struck four sixes in that innings alone after not managing even one in the last WPL.She was promoted to Nos. 3 and 4 towards the end of the league and did the heavy lifting when some of the other international players didn’t score as much.With the ball, she got breakthroughs in almost all games, highlighted by her match-turning hat-trick against Capitals and frugal figures of 2 for 22 in their last game. She was hence named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the tournament.9 Shreyanka Patil (Royal Challengers Bangalore
Picked the most wickets, did the victory on Sunday night, held the glittery purple-cap trophy and lifted the WPL trophy – all with a hairline fracture on her left hand, which earned her praise from captain Mandhana and many others. After a lean Bengaluru leg, her campaign burst to life in Delhi when she bagged 4 for 26 – all big international wickets – against Capitals before stifling the Mumbai Indians openers and dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur late in the eliminator to turn the match on its head. In the final, she pounced on Capitals again after Sophie Molineux’s triple-wicket over, starting with the wicket of Lanning, who fell to Patil twice in three games.10 Shikha Pandey (Delhi Capitals)
The oldest bowler in the Capitals set-up also bowled the most overs for them because of her experience and regularity of picking wickets. If Kapp did it with the new ball, Pandey shone in the death overs, being the only quick bowler among the top wicket-takers in that phase. Her accuracy stifled the opposition and even though she didn’t pick more than two wickets in any game, she struck in all games but one and finished with nine scalps, only behind Kapp and Nat Sciver-Brunt among the fast bowlers.11 Asha Sobhana (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
A woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, Sobhana was among the brightest uncapped stars this WPL along with Tanuja Kanwar, who narrowly missed out in this XI.Sobhana bagged the first five-for of this season – in their opening game – and bowled some ripping legbreaks for an attack that had eight bowling options in the final. She was the most economical spinner for champions RCB and bowled the high-pressure last over ahead of Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh when Mumbai needed 12 runs to win the eliminator. She conceded only six in that over and made a name with her fearless flight and change of pace that also fetched her the wickets of Kapp and Jess Jonaseen in the space of three balls in the final.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus