Mumbai Indians (MI) stunned Gujarat Giants (GUJ) by 55 runs in the 12th match of the 2023 Women’s Premier League (WPL) on March 14 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of MI, struck a fifty that helped her team qualify for the playoffs. They have now won all five matches and are in first place in the standings.
Having won the toss, Gujarat Giants choose to bowl first. Ashleigh Gardner was the best bowler for the Giants, bowling Hayley Matthews for a duck to end the innings. She subsequently took out Harmanpreet and Amanjot Kaur with consecutive deliveries in the final over. Earlier, Sneh Rana, Kim Garth, and Tanuja Kanwar of the Giants each took one wicket as MI reached 162/8.
Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt took three wickets apiece to reduce the Gujarat Giants to 107/9 in the stipulated 20 overs during the chase. Before, Harmanpreet led her side by scoring 51 runs off 30 balls. Besides the captain, Yastika Bhatia hit 44 (37), while Sciver-Brunt contributed a critical 36 (31), as the pair combined 74 runs for the second wicket.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s wicket aids MI’s victory.
Against Gujarat Giants, Harmanpreet Kaur exhibited an outstanding batting performance. She scored 51 on 30 balls before being eliminated by Ashleigh Gardner during Mumbai’s innings. During her time at bat, the right-handed batter smacked seven fours and two sixes. By virtue of her match-winning innings, she emerged as the Player of the Match for the second straight time.
Nat Sciver-Brunt registers best bowling figures
Nat Sciver-Brunt has produced some great bowling against Gujarat Giants. She picked up three wickets- Sophia Dunkley, Sneh Rana, and Kim Garth. In four overs, she only allowed 21 runs to be scored. She scored a critical 36 off 31, including one six and five fours, with the bat.
Losing captain, Sneh Rana said:\sI am pleased of the girls for reducing MI to 162, it was a wonderful start, but unfortunately we couldn’t get there. It was a score that could be chased. Absolutely, batters need to focus right through, need to develop at least two partnerships, Harleen was great today in the field, she took a catch and effected a run-out. We will absolutely improve our hitting.
Player of the Match and winning captain, Harmanpreet Kaur said:
Everyone of the support workers and teammates deserve credit. We want to continue playing as we have been. They are extremely optimistic and always want to perform well for the squad. I was ecstatic when we acquired this team, as they had performed admirably for the nation and will now do the same for Michigan. Positivity is producing all results. When we played last game on this wicket, initially you are not going to gain runs. After settling in, you will experience runs. Today, I performed these actions. Whatever which is generating results is what I’m doing. Occasionally, it is necessary to also consider the border dimensions. The leg-side is short and a medium-pacer was bowling, which is why I went there, and you must go in the last over whatever, but this was the longer boundary and I was unable to clear it.
Nat Sciver-Bruce remarked:
No. We have already qualified? Amazing! Every side has its strengths but we are in form. I did not get the ball to swing as much tonight, possibly because of the dampness. The dew is finally here, it’s ideal to open the bowling and apply the pressure from the start. The wickets will be a bit slow from now on then, getting used to it will be a little tough, but it was good to post a total. We are attempting consistency. Try to take each game as it comes. Not to be overconfident. We are playing from the heart and having a good time. It’s a different surface, the seam bowlers seem to be getting wickets. We shall see when we go there [on the surface of DY Patil Stadium].
