WPL 2023 Final, DC Vs MI: Nat Sciver-Brunt Powers Mumbai Indians To Clinch Inaugural Title. In the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) were ready to create new history by fighting for the WPL trophy in the grand final.
Seamer Issy Wong Continued Her Sensational Form To Derail DC
Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning won the toss and choose to bat first. Their openers Shafali Verma and captain herself Lanning couldn’t give a solid start as Shafali was given out off as Amelia Kerr caught at a backward point. By dismissing seamer Issy Wong drew the first wicket for her team. In the same over, Wong sent explosive young batsman Alice Calsey back to the dugout on duck. These were two big blows for DC.
Delhi continued to lose wickets in succession however skipper Lanning continue to milk runs from one end. But unfortunately for DC, Lanning got run out due to a mix-up with Jess Jonassen. Lanning scored 35 runs off 29 balls with the help of five boundaries.
Shikha Reddy And Radha Yadav Stitched A Vital Partnership
Pacer Hayley Matthews bagged two wickets in one over to reduce Delhi to 79 for nine in 16 overs. In this precarious condition, Delhi was looking not to go past 100 in the all-important WPL final. However, tail enders Shikha Reddy and Radha Yadav have different plans today in their minds.
The batting duo smashed three boundaries and one six in an over of Won to collect 20 runs. They didn’t only help Delhi get past 100, they stitched the first fifty-run partnership of WPL 2023 for the tenth wicket to reach Delhi Capitals to a competitive total of 131 runs in 20 overs.
Radha finished the innings on the high wicket with two back-to-back sixes off Na Sciver-Brunt. Radha remained unbeaten on 27 off 12 balls with the help of two fours and two mammoth sixes. Pandey also remained unbeaten on 27 off 17 balls.
Mumbai Indians Lost Early Wickets
While chasing the total, Mumbai opener Matthews smashed two boundaries in the first over of the innings. However, spinner Radha Yadav removed opener Yastika Bhatia in her first over of the innings. Yastika could make only four runs off three balls. Matthews also couldn’t stick around much on the crease and was dismissed by spinner Jonassen for 13.
One-down batsman Nat-Sciver and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur rushed to rescue their team. They added 72 runs for the third wicket to reach Mumbai close to the target.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s Phenomenal Knock Helped Mumbai Indians To Bagged The Title
However, Harmanpreet got run out while taking a tight single. She made 37 runs off 39 balls with the help of five boundaries. Sciver-Brunt played a brave knock and completed her fifty off 52 balls. Mumbai Indians required 21 runs off the last two overs. Amelia Kerr cracked boundaries in the penultimate over along with one boundary by Nat-Sciver.
Nat-Sciver helped Mumbai Indians to get past the target by smashing a boundary in the third ball of the final over. Thus. Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians became champions of the inaugural edition of the WPL. Sciver-Brunt remained unbeaten on 60 off 55 balls. She was the chief architect of the Mumbai Indians’ wins in the Eliminator and WPL 2023 final.
Brief Scorecard: Mumbai Indians 134/3 (19.3 overs) ( Sciver-Brunt 60*, Kaur 37, Radha Yadav 1/24) beat Delhi Capitals 131/9 (20 overs) (Pandey 27*, Radha 27*, Matthews 3/5, Wong 3/42) by seven wickets.
Playing XIs Of Delhi Capitals And Mumbai Indians
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: Meg Lanning (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Shefali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong,Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi
