UP Warriorz became the first team to beat Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 as they clinched a five-wicket victory over Harmanpreet Kaur-led side at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday (March 18). UP Warriorz's victory also dented Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) chances to make it to the top three.
Batting first, MI could only post 127 on the board as Hayley Matthews remained the top scorer with 35 off 30. While chasing Warriorz got off to a patchy start and the match went down to wire but in the end Alyssa Healy's side managed to chase down the target with three balls to spare. Grace Harris top-scored for UP Warriorz with 39 while Tahlia McGrath contributed with 38. Warriorz are placed in the third position on the points table with two wins and three losses.
UP got off to a miserable start as they lost opener Devika Vaidya in the second over itself. They further lost crucial wickets of Alyssa Healy and Kiran Navgire in the fifth and sixth over respectively and were reeling at 27/3 after 6.1 overs. Seeing their side in trouble, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris got involved in a 44-run stand off 34 balls. Mumbai made a comeback into the game as Amelia Kerr dismissed McGrath for 38 off 25 in the 12th over.
Harris continued her knock from the other end and added 34 runs for the fifth wicket off 23 balls with Deepti Sharma. Harris was also dismissed for 39 off 28 balls with UP needing 23 off 26 balls. Sophie Ecclestone (16 off 17) and Deepti Sharma (13 off 14) held their nerves and stitched a 24-run stand. Ecclestone cracking six on third ball of the final over took Warriorz home and Mumbai suffered their first defeat of WPL 2023.
Earlier, had it not been for Issy Wong's 19-ball 32, MI would have ended with much less than what they eventually got.
After their skipper Alyssa Healy opted to field first, the UP Warriorz bowlers did a commendable job to keep things tight and take wickets at regular intervals against the strong Mumbai batting line-up. MI were 56 for two at the end of the 10th over with Hayley Matthews (35) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (25) looking to build a partnership after the departure of Yastika Bhatia (5) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (7).
However, both Hayley and Kaur got out after getting starts, the India captain falling to compatriot Deepti Sharma after the former was done in by the seasoned Ecclestone.
Amelia Kerr (3) lasted just five balls before being sent back by Rajeshwari Gayakwad, as the Warriorz reduced Mumbai Indians to 78 for five at the start of the 14th over. Amanjot Kaur, too, failed to make an impression with the bat as she also fell to the wily Ecclestone, who had by then picked up three wickets in as many over at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy.
While Ecclestone did bulk of the damage, the others supported her well and made MI work hard for every run. India player Gayakwad also had a good outing, returning with fine figures of two for 16 from her full quota of four overs.
Deepti finished with figures of 2/34. While MI fielded the same XI in the match, UP decided to include young Parshavi Chopra in place of Shweta Sehrawat.
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