In an amazing show of skill, the Mumbai Indians defeated the Delhi Capitals by seven wickets to become champions of the inaugural Women’s Premier League in Mumbai. The match was held at the Brabourne Stadium, where a massive crowd witnessed an epic showdown between two of the best teams in the league.
After choosing to bat first, Delhi Capitals stumbled to 79 for 9 in 16 overs before posting a respectable total of 131 for 9, thanks to a 52-run partnership for the unbroken 10th wicket.
Mumbai Indians made a shaky start, losing two wickets early on, but Nat Sciver-Brunt and captain Harmanpreet combined their batting prowess to soak up the pressure and add 72 runs for the third wicket.
Sciver-Brunt struck a flurry of boundaries to help her side cross the line, finishing unbeaten on 60 not out and earning Player of the Final honors.
In the process, she also finished second in the run-scorers chart in the WPL with 332 runs, behind only DC captain Meg Lanning.
Match Highlights
The bowlers were the stars for Mumbai in the first half, with Hayley Matthews, Isabelle Wong, and Amelia Kerr taking a total of eight wickets between them. Matthews finished with 16 wickets in the tournament, the highest alongside UP Warriorz’ Sophie Ecclestone.
Wong and Kerr also finished with 15 wickets each, while Saika Ishaque also claimed an impressive 15 wickets too.
The Mumbai Indians showed a strong performance by claiming the first three wickets off full tosses from Wong. Shafali Verma hit a six and a four in the second over but was caught at point by Kerr off a full toss from the English bowler.
Wong struck again when Alice Capsey failed to control her shot, and the catch was completed by a stunning diving effort from Amanjot Kaur at extra cover.
Delhi Capitals were doing well with Lanning and Kapp’s support, but they fell apart after the 11th over, going from 74 for 3 to 77 for 7 by the 14th over, due to bad batting and communication.
Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav fought back with a counter-attacking 52-run unbeaten stand for the 10th wicket, lifting Delhi to 131 for 9. But it wasn’t enough, as Mumbai Indians chased down the target with three balls to spare to lift the trophy.
Star Players in the Match
The final match was not only about the outcome but also about the individual performances that grabbed the attention of the fans. Hayley Matthews, the all-rounder from Mumbai Indians, stole the show with her outstanding performance.
She claimed three wickets for just five runs in her four overs, which triggered the downfall of the Delhi Capitals. Her incredible performance also earned her the Purple Cap, making her the highest wicket-taker of the tournament.
On the other hand, it was Meg Lanning, the captain of Delhi Capitals, who won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the tournament. Despite her valiant effort in the final, her team failed to cross the finish line, and they had to settle for the runners-up spot.
Overall, the WPL was a massive success, and it has given a massive boost to women’s cricket in the country.
