WPL 2023 MI vs RCB: Hayley Matthews’ All-Round Performance Powers Mumbai Indians To Their Second Win. Royal Challengers Bangalore were at odds with their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians in the WPL 2023. Both teams were playing their second game in the inaugural edition of the WPL. RCB lost their first game against Delhi Capitals; whereas MI recorded a mammoth victory over Gujarat Giants in their first WPL game. RCB were eager to register their first victory in the WPL 2023.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Put 155 On Board
Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and opted to bat first. Their openers Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine started aggressively in the power play. However, Indian left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque picked the wicket of Devine and followed it with the wicket of Disha Kasat.
In the next over bowled by Hayley Matthews, RCB lost two more wickets. Their skipper Mandhana could make only 23 runs off 17 deliveries. As the wickets kept tumbling at the other end, wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh tried to stitch a partnership with Kanika Ahuja. Due to the late burst of Megan Schutt and Shreyanka Patil, RCB managed to put 155 on board in their 20 overs. Matthews bagged three wickets by conceding 28 runs.
Also Read: Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023: Who Will Win WPL 2023? Prediction
First WPL Half-Century For Hayley Matthews
Mumbai openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews gave a whirlwind start to their team. Spinner Preeti Bose dismissed Bhatia in the fifth over of the innings. Bhatia could make 23 runs off 19 balls.
Matthews continued to bat aggressively and completed her first WPL half-century in just 26 balls. One-down batter Nat Sciver-Brunt also played her attacking strokes. No RCB bowlers could stop both batters from playing strokes all over the park. Sciver-Brunt smashed her half-century in just 28 deliveries.
Matthews and Sciver-Brunt added 114 runs in just 9.2 overs to help Mumbai Indians win the game by nine wickets. Matthews remained unbeaten on 77 off 38 balls. Her phenomenal knock was studded with 13 fours and one six. Sciver-Brunt remained unbeaten on 55 off 29 balls.
Brief Scorecard: Mumbai Indians 159/1 (14.2 overs) (Matthews 77*, Sciver-Brunt 55*, Bose 1/34) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 155/10 (18.4 overs) (Ghosh 28, Matthews 3/28) by nine wickets.
Playing XIs of Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore
Mumbai Indians Women Playing XI: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi
Royal Challengers Bangalore Women Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Heather Knight, Sophie Devine, Shreyanka Patil, Preeti Bose, Renuka Thakur Singh, Ellyse Perry, Disha Kasat, Kanika Ahuja, Megan Schutt
