WPL 2023: Trouncing Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians continues its winning ways

Mumbai: The winning campaign of Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) continues. Mumbai won the match against Gujarat Giants by 55 runs  and became the first team to enter the playoffs. This is Mumbai’s fifth consecutive win in the tournament and second against Gujarat.

Mumbai had earlier crushed Gujarat by 143 runs. Mumbai set a target of 163 runs. In response, the Gujarat team could collect only 107 runs after losing 9 wickets. Natalie Sciver and Hayley Mathews took three wickets each for Mumbai. Amelia Kerr took 2 and Issy Wong took one.

Chasing the target, Gujarat got off to a disappointing start. Sophia Dunkley (0) was lbw on the very first ball of the innings. Thereafter, Gujarat lost wickets at regular intervals. The poor condition of Gujarat can be gauged from the fact that 6 of its players could not touch double figures.

Harleen Deol scored the most runs for the team. He added 22 runs in 23 balls with 3 fours. Captain Sneh Rana contributed 20 and Sushma Verma 18 * runs. Mansi Joshi remained unbeaten after scoring 7 runs.

Earlier, Mumbai scored 162 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Mumbai Indians got off to bat after losing the toss and did not have a good start.

Hayley Mathews (0) fell to Ashleigh Gardner in the first over itself. Yastika Bhatia (44) and Natalie Sciver (36) shared a 74-run partnership for the second wicket. Sciver was lbw by Kim Garth in the 11th over. Yastika was run out in the 13th over.

After this, captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared a 51-run partnership with Amelia Kerr (19) for the fourth wicket. Kerr was trapped by Tanuja Kanwar in the 17th over.

After Kerr’s departure, Mumbai lost 4 wickets by adding 27 runs. Sneh Rana c and bowled Issy Wong (0). Harleen Deol ran out Humaira Qazi (2) in the 19th over with a brilliant throw.

Harmanpreet started the 20th over bowled by Gardner with two fours but she was caught by Harleen on the third ball.

After facing 30 balls, he played an inning of 51 runs with the help of 7 fours and 2 sixes. Gardner hunted Amanjot Kaur (0) on the fifth ball of the over. Dhara Gurjar remained unbeaten adding 1 and Jintimani Kalita 2 runs.