Deepti Sharma's first T20 half-century was overshadowed as Mumbai Indians secured a decisive 42-run victory over UP Warriorz in their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 clash, thanks to standout performances from Saika Ishaque and Nat Sciver-Brunt at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on March 7.
Mumbai jump to 2nd in WPL 2024 points table
Following a disheartening loss to Delhi, Harmanpreet Kaur's team excelled across all facets of the game to secure their fourth victory in six matches, propelling them to second position in the league standings. UP Warriorz, on the other hand, endured their fourth loss of the season, severely impacting their prospects of qualifying for the knockout stages.
MI ride on Sciver Brunt's impressive batting
After electing to bat first, Mumbai Indians set a challenging total of 160/6 . The team initially faced a setback, losing openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Mathews early on. However, Nat Sciver-Brunt (45 off 31) and captain Harmanpreet (33 off 30) revived MI's innings with a critical 59-run stand for the third wicket.
The momentum continued to build for MI in the latter part of their innings, thanks to Amelia Kerr (39 not out) and the emerging talent Sajeevan Sajana (22 not out off 14 balls), who together added 43 runs in just over four overs. This effort from the middle and lower order allowed MI to bounce back, with Sciver-Brunt and Kaur providing stability and Kerr and Sajana boosting the score towards the end.
Sciver-Brunt's attacking innings featured eight boundaries, while Harmanpreet opted for a more calculated approach. However, their partnership was cut short when Sciver-Brunt fell to Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who initially struggled against her. Sciver-Brunt misjudged a faster ball that landed fuller and kept low. Harmanpreet then stepped up the scoring rate with Kerr, effectively using powerful hits. The MI captain swept Gayakwad to deep midwicket and then hit a six, showing intent and aggression.
Saika Ishaque leaves Warriorz in a spin
Chasing a target of 161, UP Warriorz faced early setbacks, losing their captain Alyssa Healy, Kiran Navgire, and Chamari Athapaththu to single-figure scores during the powerplay. Grace Harris found it challenging to establish rhythm in her innings, managing only 15 runs from 23 deliveries, despite managing to hit a few sixes against the Mumbai Indians' bowlers.
The Mumbai Indians' bowling attack was formidable in Delhi, with Saika Ishaque claiming three wickets and Nat Sciver-Brunt taking two. Shabnim Ismail delivered a stingy performance, conceding just six runs over her four overs and taking one wicket.
Despite the top order's struggles, UP's Deepti Sharma held her ground, striking six boundaries and two sixes to reach an unbeaten 53 off 36 balls. Nonetheless, her standout performance was not enough to steer her team to victory, as the title defenders secured a win by 42 runs.
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