Following a remarkable opening match that featured a record chase, the Women’s Premier League witnessed another exhilarating day as Delhi Capitals secured a two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in Vadodara. This achievement marked the highest total ever successfully pursued by any team against the Mumbai Indians in the brief history of the WPL.
Nat Sciver-Brunt scores big as Mumbai Indians reach a decent total
Mumbai managed to post a modest total of 164, largely due to the contributions of Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored an impressive 80 not out off 59 balls, and a spirited innings from captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 42 runs off 22 deliveries. The chase appeared straightforward for Delhi Capitals, especially with Shafali Verma’s explosive start of 42 runs off just 18 balls. However, Mumbai’s consistent wicket-taking kept the match competitive until the very end. With two runs required from the final delivery, Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy managed to secure a couple of runs, with Reddy’s dive proving crucial in ensuring their team’s victory.
The thrilling nature of the match was apparent from the outset of the first innings. Shikha Pandey delivered an outstanding performance with the new ball, claiming two significant wickets for just 14 runs. She dismissed Hayley Matthews, who edged a drive to Meg Lanning at slip, and also bowled out Yastika Bhatia. In response, Sciver-Brunt and Kaur launched a counterattack, showcasing an exhilarating display of stroke play. Kaur, in particular, appeared determined to dominate from the very first ball. As dew began to settle, Mumbai accelerated past the 100-run mark in the 11th over.
Kaur struck several powerful sixes, while Sciver-Brunt exhibited her exceptional skill, effectively maneuvering the ball to all areas of the field. It seemed as though Mumbai was on track for a total exceeding 200 runs, but Delhi Capitals responded with their own breakthroughs. Annabel Sutherland, after facing some early challenges, dismissed Kaur, halting the burgeoning partnership. A significant turning point occurred when Sciver-Brunt’s fierce drive deflected off Minnu Mani during her follow-through, inadvertently hitting the stumps at the bowler’s end and leaving Amelia Kerr stranded.
Sutherland then took out Sajana while Alice Capsey derailed Amanjot Kaur as MI’s inexperienced lower middle order crumbled. Sciver-Brunt at the other end played her shots but as the innings went deeper, she was mostly left stranded at the other end. In the end, MI ended with a total that was about 20-25 runs short of the par score.
Delhi Capitals chase down the target on the very last ball
Shafali’s aggressive approach made the field appear even smaller as she initiated the chase. She faced Saika Ishaque, scoring 22 runs off the left-arm spinner in her opening over, which included four boundaries and a six. While Lanning also managed to hit a few boundaries, it was Shafali who clearly took charge during the PowerPlay.
After racing to a score of 60 without loss, Shafali was dismissed softly by Matthews, who had also been hit hard in the same over. This wicket was crucial for MI, who quickly followed up with another breakthrough from Shabnim Ismail. The experienced South African bowler dismissed Lanning with a fast inswinger. Subsequently, Jemimah Rodrigues fell victim to a seemingly innocuous leg break from Kerr, resulting in a sudden shift from 60/0 to 66/3. Sutherland was dismissed shortly thereafter, as her aggressive intent led to her downfall at the hands of Sciver-Brunt.
The match continued to fluctuate as debutant Niki Prasad (35 off 33) formed a valuable 33-run partnership with Capsey, although the latter struggled to find her rhythm at the crease. Kerr struck again when Capsey was caught at long-on following the final time-out. By this point, MI had begun to assert control over the match, with the required run rate exceeding 11 runs per over. On her WPL debut, Sarah Bryce made a notable impact with a rapid 10-ball innings that produced 21 runs, including a massive six off Sciver-Brunt. Although she was dismissed, DC managed to stay competitive with sporadic boundaries.
During this phase, two highly contentious moments arose, both concerning run-out referrals. Pandey appeared to be run out; however, the third umpire, Gayatri Venugopal, ruled in favor of the batter. The decision was based on the fact that while the LED bails illuminated when the bat was on the line, they did not dislodge from their groove. This issue has sparked considerable debate since the introduction of LED bails. Shortly after, Pandey was indeed run out, and another similar incident occurred involving Radha Yadav, who appeared to be marginally short of her crease. Yet again, the third umpire sided with the batter.
This decision proved crucial as Radha hit the subsequent delivery for a six, reducing the target from 16 runs required off 7 balls to 10 runs needed in the final over. Amid the chaos, Prasad remained composed, starting the last over with a boundary, albeit due to a fielding error. With two runs required from two balls, Prasad misplayed a shot to deep mid-wicket, setting the stage for a tense conclusion. Fortunately for DC, Reddy was capable with the bat, but she nearly faced elimination. A sliced drive barely cleared Kaur at extra cover, and Reddy executed a significant dive just as Bhatia removed the bails. Ultimately, the third umpire had the decisive authority in the match.
SCORECARD: Mumbai Indians 164 in 19.1 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 80*, Harmanpreet Kaur 42; Shikha Pandey 2-14) lost to Delhi Capitals 165-8 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 43, Niki Prasad 35; Amelia Kerr 2-21) by two wickets
