A Beaming Harmanpreet Kaur and a Predictable Mumbai Win
There was a palpable sense of optimism and inevitability in the air when Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl in Mumbai Indians’ second match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 against Gujarat Giants. Mumbai’s record against Gujarat was already impeccable, with a 4-0 lead coming into this game, and the trend of successful chases in the tournament only heightened the expectations. The game unfolded in a manner that seemed almost scripted, as Mumbai Indians, guided by Hayley Matthews’ frugal bowling and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s stellar performance with both bat and ball, emerged victorious by five wickets with 23 balls to spare. This win not only marked Mumbai’s first in the WPL 2025 but also extended their dominance over Gujarat, making the Giants the only team in the tournament without a single victory against a particular opponent.
Giants’ Powerplay Misfires
Harmanpreet’s strategy of capitalizing on the early overs before the dew set in was evident as she deployed pace from both ends right from the start. This move paid immediate dividends when Nat Sciver-Brunt dismissed Beth Mooney, who sliced a simple catch to Sanskriti Gupta at backward point in the second over. The pace continued to bite as Shabnim Ismail got rid of Laura Woolvardt, whose lofted drive found S Sajana perfectly positioned at deep cover. The woes mounted for Giants when D Hemalatha’s aggressive heave off Matthews was caught by Amelia Kerr sprinting to her left from deep midwicket. This quick succession of wickets left Giants reeling at 16 for 3 after just 20 balls.
Giants’ hopes briefly flickered when Ashleigh Gardner, their power hitter, started her innings with promise, striking a four and a six. However, she was undone by a well-executed slower delivery from Sciver-Brunt, which she mistimed, sending a caught to Sajana at deep midwicket. By the end of the powerplay, Giants were struggling at 28 for 4, their third-lowest powerplay score in the WPL and the lowest of the tournament this season. The sheer number of dot balls—26 out of 36 in the powerplay—further compounded their difficulties, becoming a joint-record in WPL history.
Harleen Deol’s Lone Warrior Performance
Amidst the collapse, Harleen Deol emerged as the Giants’ lone warrior. She adopted a cautious approach, waiting for opportunities while not letting scoring chances slip. The sweep shot became her trusted ally, allowing her to find gaps consistently. Deol’s 32 off 31 balls provided a semblance of stability to Giants’ innings, which was otherwise marked by frequent wickets.
Despite Deol’s efforts, her teammates struggled to find their rhythm. Deandra Dottin, known for her aggressive play, started with a reverse sweep but was undone by a wild slash across the line, resulting in a quick stumping by Yastika Bhatia off Amelia Kerr. Kashvee Gautam, similar to Dottin, started strong with a couple of fours and a six off Shabnim Ismail but was dismissed by Matthews, edging the ball behind. The wickets continued to fall, and when Deol departed with the score at 103 for 8 in the 17th over, it signaled the end of Giants’ resistance. Sayali Satghare and Priya Mishra, however, ensured that the Giants played out their full quota of 20 overs, bringing some respectability to their innings.
Mumbai’s Bowling Mastery
Mumbai’s bowlers were the linchpins of their victory, with Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Shabnim Ismail leading the charge. Matthews’s four-over spell was particularly miserly, yielding just 16 runs while accounting for three wickets. She bowled 16 dot balls, a testament to her accuracy and control. Sciver-Brunt and Ismail were equally impressive, with 16 and 19 dot balls respectively in their spells. Sciver-Brunt’s ability to mix up her pace and use her variations effectively was on full display, as she picked up two crucial wickets. Ismail’s dot-ball rate and ability to keep the batters on their toes also played a significant role in holding back Giants’ scoring rate. This collective effort from the bowling unit ensured that Giants could only manage 120 runs, a total that appeared easily chaseable on the Mumbai pitch.
Sciver-Brunt’s Flawless Half-Century
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s performance in this match was nothing short of outstanding. Coming into the tournament with questions about her form after a relatively quiet Ashes, Sciver-Brunt silenced the doubters with a dominant 57 off 39 balls. Her innings was a perfect blend of power and precision, as she consistently found gaps and dominated the scoring. Matthews’s early innings provided some support, striking three fours, but her aggressive approach proved costly when she smashed a rank long-hop from Tanuja Kanwar straight to Harleen Deol at square leg.
However, any thoughts of a collapse were quickly dispelled by Sciver-Brunt. She got off to a strong start with a fierce pull off the first ball and continued her assault, crashing Dottin through point and pulling Priya Mishra through square leg. While Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur’s dismissals briefly interrupted the chase, Sciver-Brunt remained an immovable force. She formed a crucial 45-run partnership with Amelia Kerr, who also contributed significantly with her 19 runs off 10 balls. Sciver-Brunt reached her fifty off 34 balls, showcasing her浴class and control, and fell just seven runs shy of the target. Her innings was a masterclass in one-day cricket, combining aggression with the discipline needed to navigate a low total.
A Smooth Finish for Mumbai
The final overs of the chase were smooth sailing for Mumbai, as G Kamalini, making her debut, struck her first ball for four, and S Sajana finished the game in style by depositing a delivery from Deandra Dottin over mid-off. This clinical finish highlighted Mumbai’s depth and the confidence instilled by their early-season success. The win propelled Mumbai to second place on the points table, while the Giants’ Net Run Rate (NRR) took a significant hit, though they remain in third place.
This victory was not just a testament to Mumbai’s strong performance in the match but also a reflection of the team’s overall resilience and strategic prowess. Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy, the bowlers’ accuracy, and the batters’ confident chase all contributed to a comprehensive win. The Giants will need to regroup and find solutions to their powerplay struggles and middle-order collapses if they hope to turn the tide in their upcoming matches. For now, Mumbai Indians can savor their hard-fought win and look forward to their next challenge in the WPL 2025 with renewed confidence.
