WPL 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur, Saika Ishaque star as Mumbai Indians hammer Gujarat Giants by 143 runs

Chasing a mammoth 208-run target, Gujarat Giants were restricted to a paltry 64 in 15.1 overs by a clinical MI bowling line-up at DY Patil Stadium here.

The Giants’ suffered a massive blow at the start of the run chase when their captain and batting mainstay Beth Mooney walked off the pitch due to injury. Mooney – who kept the wickets for the 20 overs – felt uncomfortable even walking and was supported by her teammates to walk off the field.

The seriousness of the injury casts doubt over her availability in the second match for the team as they face UP Warriorz in the second game tomorrow. In her absence, Sneh Rana will captain the side.

It was a match to forget for the Giants as they failed to perform well with the ball and later perished under the pressure of the scoreboard in the chase. Dayalan Hemalatha (29* off 23 balls) was the only batter from Gujarat Giants who went past the 20-run mark.

Uncapped India spinner Saika Ishaque from Uttar Pradesh was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai Indians. The left-arm orthodox spinner grabbed a four-for in her WPL debut game. She conceded just 11 runs from her 3.1 overs and even bowled a maiden over.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/5) and Amelia Kerr (2/12) picked up a couple of wickets each while pacer Izzy Wong got a wicket.

Harmanpreet Kaur lights up DY Patil Stadium in WPL opener

Earlier in the evening, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur powered Mumbai Indians to an imposing 207/5 with a stunning half-century in front of a packed house. The opener was preceded by a glittering opening ceremony at the DY Patil Stadium.

Kaur lit up the contest with a compelling knock of 65 off just 30 balls (14x4s), which floored the Gujarat Giants and wrote her name in the history books. The right-handed Kaur added a quickfire 89 runs for the fourth wicket with Amelia Kerr, with the New Zealand batter making a rapid 45 not out from just 24 balls with six fours and a six.

Clinical finish for Mumbai Indians in death overs

Mumbai Indians scored 62 runs from the last 30 balls of their innings to record a total in excess of 200 in the very first innings of the tournament. Gujarat Giants were guilty of committing several errors in the field, including bowling plenty of deliveries on the leg side, after winning the toss and opting to field.

Kaur, who began with consecutive fours off Sneh Rana in the 11th over, got two more fours off Georgia Wareham in the 12th and gave a similar treatment to Annabel Sutherland in the next over. However, it was in the 15th over when Kaur truly showcased her class, hammering the young left-arm seamer Monica Patel for four consecutive fours to collect 21 runs from the over, which was the most expensive of the innings.

Despite losing an early wicket in the form of Yastika Bhatia (1), Mumbai Indians remained aggressive with the bat, with West Indies’ Hayley Matthews providing the initial fireworks during her 54-run stand for the second wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt (23) to lay a strong platform.

Both Nat Sciver-Brunt and Matthews pounced upon any opportunity to score, which they got in abundance from the Gujarat bowlers who were wayward with their lines.

While the right-handed Sciver-Brunt fell for an 18-ball 23, including five fours, it was Matthews who led the scoring in the initial stages of the game. Matthews, who began with a six and a four off Mansi Joshi in the second over, took on Annabel Sutherland as she hit a couple of sixes off the right-arm Australian bowler in the eighth over.

The 54-run second-wicket stand was finally broken by Georgia Wareham in the ninth over, who got Sciver-Brunt caught at mid-on by Sneh Rana. Soon, Matthews’ charge towards the first-ever WPL half-century was ended by Gardner, brought into the attack to control the run-flow by Gujarat captain Beth Mooney after the strategic break.

After being punished for a four past point, Gardner provided the third breakthrough when she got one to spin sharply into the right-handed Matthews. The batter missed connecting with the ball which dismantled her stumps.

The right-handed Caribbean batter Matthews fell for a 31-ball 47, studded with four sixes and three fours. India’s Tanuja Kanwar provided Gujarat Giants with their first breakthrough in the third over, with Yastika Bhatia – who struggled to get off the blocks – hitting one straight into the hands of Georgia Wareham at point.

(With PTI inputs)