Harmanpreet Kaur set the stage on fire as Mumbai Indian began their WPL campaign with a thumping 143-run win over Gujarat Giants. The MI skipper scored WPL’s first half-century as she smashed 14 boundaries in an epic knock at the DY Patil Stadium. In response, Giants lost Beth money to injury and crumbled to just 67 all out.
Invited to bat first by Gujarat captain Beth Mooney, Mumbai openers carefully negotiated the first over before west Indies captain Matthews charged on Joshi to hit her for back-to-back boundaries.
Bhatia took strike first and played out Ashleigh Gardner cautiously but Matthews was on song from the outset as she swung Mansi Joshi for a six off just the second ball she faced before hitting a four off the very next ball.
Hayley Matthews has entered the record books for smashing the historic first six of the maiden Women’s Premier League (WPL) match. Hayley achieved the feat in the second over of the match against Gujarat Giants.
Watch Here – First-ever six of WPL comes from Hayley Matthews!
— cricket ranger (@ranger_cricket) March 5, 2023
She played a pick-up shot behind square on a back-of-a-length delivery around off from Gujarat Giants’ Mansi Joshi. Hayley smashed a boundary off the very next delivery after a misfield in the deep. With this, Hayley became the player to hit both the first six and four of the maiden WPL.
Matthews was aggressive in the powerplay and especially severe on anything short. Bhatia was the first wicket to fall as she fell for one to Tanuja Kanwer.
That brought England vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt to the crease, and her and Matthews stitched a quick-scoring partnership together as Mumbai Indians scored 44 in the powerplay. Both Matthews & Sciver-Brunt continued to be brutal on anything short or on their pads as they peppered the leg-side boundary regularly.
Sciver-Brunt & Matthews put on a 54-run stand before both of them departed in successive overs for 23 (18) and 47 (31) respectively. Matthews’ fast start laid the perfect platform and captain Kaur blitzed the first fifty of the tournament ever in just 22 balls as Mumbai Indians put the bowlers under a lot of pressure.
Pooja Vastrakar provided the late fireworks as Mumbai Indians notched a mammoth total of 207/5 on the board.
MI’s talismanic skipper Kaur top scored with 65 off just 30 balls, while Kerr chipped in with a fine 45 off 24 deliveries. Talking about her incredible innings, she said,
“I just thought I will watch the ball and back myself. I will not think too much, and instead react to the situation.”
Gujarat Giants were rocked early in the chase as their skipper Beth Mooney retired in the very first over. Mumbai Indians’ bowlers were on target from the outset as Issy Wong rattled Giants with her pace.
Saika Ishaque, who Sciver called “the most exciting young bowler” bowled full and straight and reaped the rewards as she scalped four wickets, including Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham for single-digit scores.
Such was the dominance of the bowlers that none of the Gujarat batters were able to reach double digits except Dayalan Hemalatha (29*) and later, Monica Patel (10). While the young Ishaque was the pick of the bowlers, Sciver-Brunt and Kerr picked a brace apiece to mark a brilliant start at the WPL.
Mumbai Indians will now gear up to face Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday, March 6 at 7:30 pm at the Brabourne Stadium.
Mumbai Indians captain Kaur said,
“It was a brilliant start, it felt like a dream come true. We kept things simple and clear. It was a big day for women’s cricket but we told the team to not worry about it and play naturally and express themselves.”
She further mentioned the team will remain focused on keeping the momentum going.
“It was a big victory, yes, but the next games are very important.”
Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney (capt, wk), S Meghana, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, D Hemalatha, Georgia Wareham, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Monica Patel, Mansi Joshi.
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Yastika Bhatia, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Mathews, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Humaira Kaazi, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque
Summery- Mi: 207/5 Harmanpreet Kaur 65(30), Hayley Mathews 47(31), Amelia Kerr 45(24)
Sneh Rana 43/2, Georgia Wareham 30/1, Tanuja Kanwar 12/1 Ashleigh Gardner 38/1
Gg: 64 Dayalan Hemalatha 29(23), Monica Patel 10(9), Georgia Wareham 08(11), Annabel Sutherland 6(14), Mansi Joshi 6(19)
Nat Sciver Brunt 5/2, Saika Ishaque 11/4, Amelia Kerr 12/2, Issy Wong 7/1