Mumbai Indians' skipper Harmanpreet Kaur smashed an unbeaten 95, leading her team to a thrilling last-ball victory against Beth Mooney's Gujarat Giants in their Women's Premier League (WPL) clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on March 9. Harmanpreet's stunning batting saw MI easily chasing down the 191-run target set by Giants. Courtesy to this victory, defending champions surged to top of the WPL 2024 table.
Yastika-Mathews' partnership comes hand for Mumbai
Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews gave Mumbai Indians a solid start in their pursuit of 191 runs, building a 50-run partnership until Tanuja Kanwar broke through in the sixth over, dismissing Mathews.
Shabman MD secured a key wicket for Gujarat Giants by removing Natalie Sciver-Brunt early for just two runs. Yastika continued to advance the score, navigating through falling wickets at regular intervals. The mounting pressure eventually led to Yastika's dismissal, just one run shy of a half-century, caught by Gardner. She contributed 49 runs from 36 balls, including eight fours and one six.
Harmanpreet toys with Giants' bowlers
Harmanpreet Kaur then aggressively took on the Giants' bowlers, notching her second fifty of the season in 33 balls. She built an essential partnership with all-rounder Amelia Kerr. Harmanpreet went on the offensive against spinner Sneh Rana in the 18th over, hitting three fours and two sixes, reducing the required runs to 23 from the final 12 balls. Entering the last over with Mumbai needing 13 to win, Harmanpreet hit Gardner for a six off the first ball and steered her team to victory, finishing unbeaten on 95 runs from 48 deliveries, with 10 fours and five sixes.
This victory propelled Mumbai Indians to the top of the WPL 2024 leaderboard with five wins in seven matches, while Gujarat Giants remained at the bottom with two points from six games.
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Mooney, Hemalatha's fifties go in vain
Batting first, captain Beth Mooney and D Hemalatha's dynamic half-centuries powered GG to a challenging total of 190 for seven against MI. Mooney (66 off 35 balls, 8x4, 3x6) and Hemalatha (74 off 40 balls, 9x4, 2x6) formed a thrilling partnership of 121 runs for the second wicket in just over 11 overs. The duo began their aggressive innings following the early dismissal of opener Laura Wolvaardt (13) by Hayley Matthews.
Mooney, notching his second consecutive fifty, and Hemalatha wasted no time accelerating their scoring rate.
Hemalatha aggressively targeted the MI spinners, while Mooney took on the fast bowlers with gusto, including hitting a straight six off Nat-Sciver Brunt and consecutive fours against Shabnim Ismail, who had recently clocked over 130 kmph. Mooney elevated her game upon Pooja Vastrakar's introduction, scoring two maximums with scoops behind the wicketkeeper. Hemalatha then targeted leg-spinner Amelia Kerr, hammering her for 4, 6, 4 in the 10th over to rake in 15 runs. Mooney achieved her fifty in just 27 balls, and shortly after, Hemalatha reached hers in 28 balls, propelling the Giants forward rapidly.
However, Mooney's wicket in the 14th over, just after the Strategic Time Out, slowed Gujarat's scoring rate. She was dismissed trying to pull off-spinner Sajana Sajeevan, leading to the unsettling sound of stumps being hit.
Hemalatha's dismissal by Ismail followed soon after, and Gujarat lost four wickets while adding 28 runs, but they had already established a strong position.
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