The Women’s Premier League kicked off with a bang as Mumbai Indians thrashed Gujarat Giants by a massive 143 runs, announcing their arrival in style. The match witnessed a dominant display by Mumbai Indians, who not only posted a mammoth 207/5 but also restricted Gujarat Giants to a mere 64/9 in 15.1 overs.
The @ImHarmanpreet-led @mipaltan are off the mark in the #TATAWPL in style! #MI win the opening game against #GG by 143 runs 👏👏#TATAWPL | #GGvMI pic.twitter.com/W8GnPXpb4D
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023
Mumbai Indians’ Stunning Performance
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 65 off just 30 balls was the highlight of Mumbai Indians’ innings. She smashed 14 boundaries to become the first-ever player to score a half-century in WPL.
Kaur’s strokeplay was an absolute treat to watch as she found gaps with ease, connected the ball sweetly, and never gave any chance to the opposition bowlers to gain momentum.
Before Kaur’s fireworks, it was the aggressive West Indies batter, Hayley Matthews, who provided the initial impetus. She looked set to score the first fifty of the tournament but fell just three runs short after smashing 47 off 31 balls.
Matthews struck 4 sixes and 3 fours and shared a 54-run stand with Nat Sciver-Brunt, who played a vital role in Mumbai Indians’ victory.
England star Sciver-Brunt shone with both bat and ball. She scored 23 off 18 balls and then returned an opening spell of 2-0-5-2 that rattled Gujarat Giants’ top order.
Right-arm seamer Issy Wong was equally impressive, conceding just 7 runs off her first three overs and picking up a wicket.
For her incredible captain’s knock of 65(30), skipper @ImHarmanpreet bagged the Player of the Match award 👏👏 #GGvMI @mipaltan secured a 143-run victory over Gujarat Giants in the opening game of the #TATAWPL 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/HHbnLj8BZQ
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023
Gujarat Giants’ Efforts
Gujarat Giants’ chase began on a disastrous note as their captain Beth Mooney retired hurt after facing just three balls. Matters got worse for them as Nat Sciver-Brunt and Issy Wong picked up quick wickets, reducing them to 23/6 after 7.1 overs.
Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque then ran through their lower order, picking up 4 wickets for just 11 runs in her 3.1 overs.
Gujarat Giants had a forgettable outing with their bowlers getting hammered all over the park and their fielders making several errors. Mumbai Indians capitalized on their opponents’ mistakes to make a dream start to the competition.
The Aftermath of the Match
The Safari Powerful Striker of the Match award for the match between @GujaratGiants and @mipaltan goes to Hayley Matthews.#TATAWPL | #TataSafari | #ReclaimYourLife | #SafariXTataWPL | @TataMotors_Cars pic.twitter.com/MUYF0vllSL
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023
In the aftermath of their victory, Harmanpreet Kaur was quick to acknowledge the contributions of her bowlers, who executed their plans to perfection and restricted the Giants to a paltry 64 runs. It was a complete team effort from the Mumbai Indians, who are here to make a mark in the league.
The win was even more special for Harmanpreet, who called it a “dream come true” moment.
But while Mumbai Indians bask in their victory, the Gujarat Giants have some work to do. The team suffered an early setback when their skipper, Beth Mooney, sustained a knee injury in the first over and had to retire hurt.
It’s uncertain when she’ll be able to return to the team, leaving vice-captain Sneh Rana to lead the side.
Rana remained optimistic despite the loss, saying that it was just the start of the tournament and that the team will come back stronger.
She also acknowledged that some players might take time to adjust to the high level of competition, but she’s confident that they’ll rise to the occasion.
Overall, it was a cracking start to the Women’s Premier League, and Mumbai Indians would be hoping to carry their momentum forward in the tournament.