The Women's Premier League (WPL) has brought a new level of excitement and competitiveness to franchise cricket, attracting top players from around the world. 

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In a candid conversation, 21-year-old Australian Phoebe Litchfield, who plays for the Gujarat Giants, shared her insights on adapting to the WPL environment, the leadership within her team, personal and team objectives, and the impact of experienced players while speaking to WION.

Born on April 18, 2003, in Orange, New South Wales, Litchfield's cricketing journey began in her backyard, playing alongside her father and brother. Her father, Andrew Litchfield, a former Sydney grade cricketer, played a pivotal role in nurturing her talent. At just 14, she was competing in men's cricket, an experience she credits for accelerating her ability to face fast bowling and adapt to higher levels of the game.  

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When asked about the differences between the WPL and other franchise leagues she has participated in, she highlighted the unique energy of the Indian crowd. "I think the biggest difference between WPL and all other franchise competitions is probably just the crowd over here and how the fans get around it. I think of Australia, England, all of those leagues are very competitive with WPL but I think the biggest difference is the crowd energy. They just love their cricket over here and that's probably the biggest difference I've found," she said.

Speaking about her team and its leadership under Ashleigh Gardner, she expressed how the team has been thriving under her guidance. "It's thriving. I think Ash plays a massive role in helping us feel comfortable to just perform, play freely and have so much fun. She's a very laid-back character and continues to do that with her captaincy and pretty much leads from the front with her actions. She's very comforting and kind in the way she goes about it so it's great," she shared.

'Want to make history with Gujarat Giants' 

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Regarding the team's objectives for the season, she stressed their goal of making history for Gujarat Giants. "To make finals. I think that's the biggest thing for our team. It's never been done in Gujarat's history so hopefully we can tick that box off. Obviously, it would be amazing to make the final and win it but the first step is to make the finals in Mumbai."

Phoebe also shared insights about adjusting bowling tactics given the batting-friendly conditions in recent matches. She admitted that while she is not directly involved in bowling strategies, Phoebe believes the key remains execution. "I'm not in the bowling meetings because I'm not a bowler but I don't think it changes much. It's probably nice that these types of wickets come now once we've had six to seven games to practice our bowling. It just comes down to execution. We know what we need to do, we've planned, we know the people we'll come up against. It's purely about executing at the top of your mark and reducing those boundary balls."

While discussing the impact of experienced players like Deandra Dottin, she emphasised the confidence they bring to the squad. "It's massive. Knowing that she's coming in after me or in and around me is massive. Having her, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, it just adds so much to our batting. A lot of trust in our ability to score big scores and knowing if one person doesn't come off, someone else will."

Looking ahead to her future in cricket and the role WPL plays in her career, she acknowledged how the league enhances her ability to perform under pressure. "I think WPL paves the way for a lot of young players to perform under pressure. That's the biggest thing I find with cricket. Coming over to these leagues and playing against the best players in the world, you've got to perform under pressure. As an Australian, we come over and play a lot in India. We've got a World Cup here in a bit. Going forward, it's obviously going to hopefully improve my skills. That's what I'm always looking forward to do. Keep improving and practicing. That's about it," she signed off.