WPL 2023: '8th trophy is coming' - Social media delighted as MI crushes GG to sail into playoffs
WPL 2023: Mumbai Indians continued its unbeaten run in the event, crushing Gujarat Giants by 55 runs and sealing its place in the playoffs. Meanwhile, social media was delighted, as it is confident of an eighth title incoming.
FollowMumbai Indians' (MI) juggernaut continued in the 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team stormed to their fifth win in a row, crushing Gujarat Giants (GG) by 55 runs to clinch a playoff berth. After making a thumping start to the inaugural WPL against GG with a massive 143-run win at the DR DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai, MI once again got the better of their opponents with a complete all-round show at Brabourne.
GG, which stuttered to a fourth loss in five matches and remained in the penultimate spot in the five-team points table, made 107/9 in 20 overs, chasing 163 on a pitch that had something for all parties. In its previous meeting, GG was bundled out for 64 in 15.1 overs in a chase of 208.
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Hayley Matthews made up for her failure with the bat to return with 4-0-24-3, while leg-spinner Amelia Kerr bagged 2/18 to fuel Mumbai's yet another impressive win in front of a partisan crowd. Also producing an all-round show for Mumbai was Nat Sciver-Brunt, who returned 4-0-21-3 after scoring a vital 36 off 31 balls studded with five fours and a six.
While each of Mumbai's overseas bowlers was among wickets, India's uncapped Saika Ishaque remained wicketless in her 4-0-20-0. MI looked steady but needed to figure out a substantial total at the halfway mark in its innings after being asked to bat first, having scored 64/1 in 10 overs. However, captain Harmanpreet Kaur smashed a 30-ball 51 laced with seven fours and two sixes, her blitz powering MI to a challenging 162/8.
Yastika Bhatia (44) and Sciver-Brunt did well to consolidate, adding 74 for the second wicket. "Credit goes to all the support staff and teammates. The way we have been playing, we want to continue. We are so positive, and they always want to do well for the team. When we got this team, I was pleased, they were doing well for the country, and now, they will do the same for MI. The positivity is giving all the results," Kaur said after the game.
Gujarat skipper Sneh Rana added, "I'm proud of the girls that we restricted Mumbai Indians to 160. That was a commendable effort. It was a chasable score. I think batters need to focus through the line. We need two good partnerships in our batting." After a sedate first half, MI aggressively added 98 runs in the last ten overs.
In the second half, MI made a terrific start with Sciver-Brunt striking on the first ball, trapping the in-form Sophie Dunkley, who had hit 65 in her last outing at this venue. Sabbhineni Meghana showed initial promise with some cracking boundaries but perished for 16 off Hayley Matthews in the sixth over after a brief 21-run stand with Harleen Deol.
Matthews struck three balls again later, removing Annabel Sutherland for a four-ball duck to leave Gujarat tottering at 34/3 at the end of the PowerPlay (PP). With that, Matthews (9) moved up to the second spot in the list of bowlers with the most wickets, surpassing Delhi Capitals' Shikha Pandey (8) and Sophie Ecclestone (8) of the UP Warriorz (UPW).
GG struggled to get off the blocks and lost wickets in heaps. After Isabelle Wong trapped Harleen Deol (22) leg-before before the first strategic break, Ashleigh Gardner (8) was dismissed right after resumption by Kerr, who also accounted for Dayalan Hemlatha (6). Among the bright spots for GG was captain Sneh Rana's spell of 4-0-17-1 and a 19-ball 20, which helped stem the fall of wickets for a short while.
Kaur lost her fourth toss on the trot in WPL as GG captain Sneh Rana was elected to the field while making two changes. Laura Wolvaardt and Georgia Wareham made way for Dunkley and Sutherland, whereas MI remained unchanged.
(With inputs from PTI)
