Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) started their title defense in style and registered a resounding 50-run win over Delhi Capitals in their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 campaign opener. The comprehensive win was orchestrated by a clinical performance from captain Harmanpreet Kaur and star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, while Amelia Kerr and Nicola Carey proved lethal with the ball to stifle the Capitals' lineup.
Mumbai Indians crush Delhi Capitals by 50 runs
The action unfolded on Saturday, January 10, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, serving as the third fixture of the young season. The clash provided a full spectrum of highlights, showcasing Mumbai’s ability to recover from early setbacks and Delhi’s ongoing struggle to overcome their rivals in high-stakes encounters.
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Despite the eventual lopsided result, Mumbai’s innings began with a major scare. Opener Amelia Kerr was dismissed for a golden duck off the very first ball of the match, falling to a sharp delivery from Chinelle Henry. The pressure mounted shortly after when Kerr’s opening partner, Gunalan Kamalini, was unable to capitalize on her start, nicking a delivery from Nandani Sharma through to the wicketkeeper and leaving the defending champions in a precarious early position.
Duo of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur did the trick for MI
Facing an early wobble, Mumbai Indians’ veteran middle-order pair of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur launched a fierce counterattack to reshape the innings. Sciver-Brunt hammered a 46-ball 70, while captain Kaur remained unbeaten with a blistering 74 off just 42 deliveries. Their explosive partnership propelled the defending champions to a formidable total of 195-4. Nicola Carey provided the final flourish at the death, contributing a rapid 21 runs from only 12 balls. For the Delhi Capitals, Nandani Sharma was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2-26 after dismissing Carey in the closing stages.
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DC's deflated run chase
The run chase proved to be a mountain too high for the Delhi Capitals, who were bundled out for 145 in the 19th over. The 50-run defeat highlighted a significant gap in batting depth, as Chinelle Henry stood alone in her resistance. Henry struck a valiant 56 off 33 balls, decorated with five boundaries and three maximums, but she found virtually no support; the next highest score was a modest 12 runs from Niki Prasad.
Mumbai’s bowling attack was equally relentless, led by Nicola Carey, who dismantled the Capitals' top order. Carey claimed the crucial wickets of superstars Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, and Marizanne Kapp to finish with figures of 3-37. Amelia Kerr then moved in to clean up the tail, bagging 3-24, while Nat Sciver-Brunt added two wickets to her tally following an early breakthrough by the legendary Shabnim Ismail.