Nat Sciver-Brunt‘s stellar all-round display, scoring 45 runs and taking 2 wickets for 14 runs, propelled Mumbai Indians to a commanding 42-run victory over UP Warriorz at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This win, their fourth of the season, catapulted Mumbai Indians to the second spot on the WPL 2024 points table. However, the defeat dealt a significant blow to UP Warriorz, marking their fourth loss of the season and shattering their hopes of securing a direct spot in the final, leaving their campaign in a precarious position.
Mumbai Indians posted a competitive total of 160 for 6 in their 20 overs, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 45 and Amelia Kerr’s 39, despite Chamari Athapaththu’s 2-29 for UP Warriorz. In response, UP Warriorz struggled to build partnerships, with Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 53 off 36 balls being the standout performance. However, Saika Ishaque’s 3-27 and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 2-14 restricted UP Warriorz to 118 for 9 in their 20 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt Shines
Mumbai Indians’ choice to bat first seemed to backfire initially, as Chamari Athapaththu quickly sent both opening batters back to the pavilion at a low cost. Together with Grace Harris, she effectively restricted Mumbai’s scoring rate during the powerplay. By the end of the first five overs, the defending champions had scored a modest 26 runs for the loss of 2 wickets.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad faced difficulties with her accuracy, turning out to be costly for her team. Nat Sciver-Brunt capitalized on this, hitting boundaries off the first two deliveries she faced, initiating a revival of Mumbai Indians’ innings alongside Harmanpreet Kaur.
Although Kaur found it hard to accelerate her scoring rate, she remained at the crease in partnership with the vice-captain. Together, they contributed 59 runs in 46 balls to the team’s total, with Kaur scoring at a rate of less than a run per ball. Gayakwad managed to bounce back, claiming her revenge by dismissing Sciver-Brunt with a well-delivered arm ball in her subsequent over.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur back to Business
However, Harmanpreet then shifted gears against the spinner, aggressively hitting her for a four and a six with a powerful slogsweep. Saima Thakor, who only bowled two overs, managed to take out Harmanpreet, and soon after, Deepti Sharma secured the wicket of Amanjot Kaur, catching her at deep square leg. This series of events left Mumbai Indians at 117 for 5 by the 16th over.
Despite not achieving the explosive finish they might have hoped for, with Sajana struggling to accelerate until the final over, Mumbai Indians were aided by a stroke of luck as Kerr benefitted from a couple of missed catches. This allowed them to gather 38 runs in the concluding four overs. The innings eventually ended with Kerr being run out on the final delivery while attempting a risky second run that wasn’t really there.
UP Warriorz Struggle Against the Formidable Mumbai’s Bowling Attack
UP Warriorz’s top-order difficulties persisted, notably against the fierce bowling of Shabnim Ismail, who made a significant impact upon returning to Mumbai Indians’ lineup after missing the previous match. Her exceptional spell proved too much for Alyssa Healy and Kiran Navgire, who found it hard to score off her deliveries. Ismail’s highlight came when she dismissed Healy, leaving her stumps shattered after scoring just 3 runs off 9 balls.
Mumbai Indians executed a successful strategy of aiming for the stumps, reaping considerable rewards throughout the game. The tactic bore fruit as early as the second over when Saika Ishaque bowled Navgire out. Chamari Athapaththu fell victim to the deceptive bounce and slower pace of the pitch, miscuing a cut to the cover fielder off the bowling of Hayley Matthews.
Grace Harris’ struggles
The Mumbai Indians’ bowlers proved difficult to score against from the start, exemplified by Grace Harris taking 15 deliveries to score her first run. This tight bowling restricted UP Warriorz to a meager 18 for 3 in the initial seven overs of their innings.
Grace Harris did manage to hit a six over long on to finally score, but that was a rare highlight in her 23-ball innings, which included only five scoring shots. At one point, she was given out LBW and started walking off the field, not initially questioning the umpire’s decision. It took Deepti Sharma’s persuasion for Harris to review the decision, successfully overturning it through DRS. Nonetheless, this reprieve did little to alter the outcome.
Harris’s last scoring shot, another six off Ishaque, was followed by a misjudged attempt to replicate the shot. Ishaque adjusted her delivery to be flatter and quicker, ultimately breaching Harris’s defenses and taking her stumps. Her departure in the 10th over, with the required run rate looming around 12 runs per over, virtually sealed the fate of the match, leaving little hope for a UP Warriorz revival.
Deepti Sharma’s Late Heroics Not Enough for UP Warriorz
Deepti Sharma’s valiant effort, scoring an unbeaten 53 off 36 balls, including a last-ball six, was commendable. However, her innings came too late in the game to pose a serious threat to Mumbai Indians’ total. Despite her late flourish, it did little to ignite any hope of a miraculous win. Even with a dropped catch by Harmanpreet Kaur, the rest of the UP Warriorz batters failed to provide substantial support.
Pooja Vastrakar dismissed Shweta Sehrawat, while Nat Sciver-Brunt bowled Poonam Khemnar, effectively snuffing out any chances of a significant partnership. Saika Ishaque was the standout bowler for Mumbai Indians, claiming three wickets, while Nat Sciver-Brunt contributed with two wickets. UP Warriorz were ultimately restricted to 118 for 9, falling short of the target set by Mumbai Indians.
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