Harmanpreet Kaur struck a brilliantly paced half-century to propel Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants chasing a stiff 193 for victory in their Women's Premier League (WPL) match at the DY Patil Stadium, here on Tuesday.
Chasing a tough 193 for a win, Mumbai Indians were in a spot of bother at one stage but skipper Harmanpreet's calming presence and timely knock of 71 off 43 balls with seven fours and two sixes ensured they came away with two points reaching 193/3 in 19.2 overs. Nicola Carey supported Harmanpreet with a useful 38.
Earlier, Bharti Fulmali’s fireworks in the 20th over powered Gujarat Giants to a very competitive 192/5 in 20 overs as they set Mumbai Indians a chase of 193 in their Women’s Premier League match (WPL) at the DY Patil Stadium, here on Tuesday.
Bharti slammed two maximums and two fours as 23 runs came off the Gujarat Giants’ last over against Amanjot Kaur as they lifted themselves up after Mumbai Indians had pegged back the scoring rate with wickets at regular intervals. For Mumbai Indians, Shabnim Ismail, Hayley Mathews, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr picked up a wicket apiece.
Earlier, electing to field first after winning the toss, Mumbai Indians copped an early blow when G Kamalini dropped a regulation caught behind opportunity to let off Gujarat Giants’ Beth Mooney on the fifth ball of the first over.
Mooney made the most of the reprieve slamming two consecutive fours off Hayley Mathews in the second over to get the GG innings going. Shabnim Ismail was sharp to begin with and struck in the third over of the match to see the back of Sophie Devine getting her snapped up by Kamalini for eight.
New batter Kanika Ahuja got into the act smashing a four off the last ball of the third over. Kanika went ballistic in the fourth over as she took on Matthews and hoisted her for a majestic six over deep mid-wicket. The very next ball she blasted a four to deep mid-wicket’s left.
She struck another boundary off Shabnim in the fifth over as Mumbai Indians reached 51/1 in five overs. Gujarat had a fantastic powerplay as they completed six overs at 62/1 with Mooney on 32 and Kanika on 20.
However, MI struck to thwart the developing partnership between Mooney and Kanika as Amelia Kerr had the former caught and bowled for 33 as MI slipped to 64/2. Ashleigh Gardner was aggressive from the time she arrived at the crease cracking a boundary in the seventh and eighth overs to keep the GG scoreboard ticking.
Nicola Carey then plucked the third wicket for MI as she trapped Gardner leg before after the appeal was initially given not out with the decision overturned after a DRS review. Mathews scalped in-form Kanika for 35 as Gujarat Giants were dealt a major blow as they fell to 99/4 in 10.1 overs.
MI pulled things back thereafter with only Georgia Wareham scoring a few boundaries to give Gujarat Giants some momentum. Ayushi Soni retired out in the 16th over on 11, the first time a batter has retired out in the WPL.
Bharti Fulmali survived an lbw appeal off the very first ball she faced as Mumbai Indians kept the pressure up. They had pegged things back well enough to make the Giants sweat it out for even 180, let alone 200.
Fulmali went absolutely berserk in the last over as she smashed two sixes and as many fours off Amanjot Kaur giving MI the same nightmarish thoughts as what Nadine de Klerk as Gujarat Giants finished at 192/5 in 20 overs.
