Mumbai Indians (MI) rode on Nat Sciver-Brunt's all-round heroics to notch a comfortable eight-wicket win over UP Warriorz (UP W) in their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 75 off 44 balls, coupled with her economical bowling figures of three for 18, proved decisive in MI's emphatic win.
Mumbai's chase was so well-controlled that Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur had little to do, simply hitting a fortunate boundary to seal the win in the 17th over. Sciver-Brunt, who also claimed the Orange Cap from Ellyse Perry during her innings, formed a crucial 133-run partnership with Hayley Matthews for the second wicket. This partnership effectively neutralised the early setback of Deepti Sharma dismissing Yastika Bhatia for a duck in the fourth over.
Hayley Matthews' innings, which contributed a crucial 59 runs off 50 balls, was not without its moments of fortune. Early in the Mumbai Indians' chase, Matthews was given a significant reprieve when Sophie Ecclestone dropped a catch at first slip off Chinelle Henry's bowling. At that point, Matthews had only scored two runs, highlighting the pivotal nature of the missed opportunity.
This win propelled Mumbai Indians to the top of the standings, albeit temporarily, displacing Delhi Capitals. With six points from four matches, Mumbai Indians demonstrated their strong form in the tournament.
UP Warriorz, buoyed by their previous successful run chase on the same ground, entered the match with confidence. They had previously posted a winning total of 177 against Delhi Capitals. This time, they experimented with their batting order, promoting Australian all-rounder Grace Harris to open alongside Kiran Navgire. However, Navgire's innings was short-lived, as she fell victim to a short delivery from Nat Sciver-Brunt, pulling the ball to Shabnim Ismail at mid-on.
Vrinda Dinesh, batting at number three, played a crucial role in stabilising the innings. She formed a solid 79-run partnership with Harris, with Dinesh scoring effectively through the cover and point regions. Harris, accustomed to opening in the Women's Big Bash League, appeared comfortable in her new role. However, Amelia Kerr's dismissal of Harris triggered a dramatic shift in momentum. Mumbai Indians seized the opportunity, capitalizing on the breakthrough by taking four wickets for a mere 12 runs, effectively turning the tide of the match.
Sanskriti Gupta and Amelia Kerr played pivotal roles in restricting UP Warriorz's scoring, applying significant pressure and causing the run rate to plummet. Gupta's impressive figures of two wickets for just 11 runs in her two overs, combined with Kerr's economical spell, effectively stifled the batting side's momentum.
Among the middle-order batters, Shweta Sehrawat, celebrating her birthday, managed to top-score with 19 runs off 13 balls. However, Chinelle Henry and Sophie Ecclestone, who had been instrumental in the previous match's victory, failed to replicate their success, contributing only seven and six runs, respectively. Their inability to contribute effectively further hampered UP Warriorz's efforts to post a competitive total.
