When Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt are in the temper for stylish ball-striking, there’s seemingly little that opponents can do past watching and quietly admiring sheer mastery unfold in entrance of their eyes. Gujarat Giants was largely left to just do that in the Eliminator of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) at Brabourne Stadium on Thursday.
Matthews and Sciver-Brunt smashed 77 every to assist MI attain 213 for 4 – its highest WPL whole. For the second time this season, the truth is, they cast a 133-run second-wicket partnership. Harmanpreet Kaur additionally performed her half with a cameo of 36 at a strike fee of 300. With GG skittled out for 166, MI superior to Saturday’s final in opposition to Delhi Capitals.
It didn’t appear to be MI would get to such a frightening whole when it was 37 for one in six overs. Matthews was sedate at the begin, and even had a slice of fortune on 5 when an edge was spilled by Beth Mooney in Ashleigh Gardner’s opening over. It was the first of many catches that GG dropped on the evening.
Once the subject unfold out, Sciver-Brunt and Matthews started belting a plethora of boundaries. Matthews discovered her fluency in opposition to Priya Mishra, welcoming the leg-spinner in the eighth over with three consecutive fours. It helped that Priya dished out a rank long-hop and a juicy full toss.
Having ambled to 17 off 22 deliveries after the first seven overs, Matthews nonetheless reached her fifty off simply 36 deliveries. The landmark was achieved with oomph, pulling Tanuja Kanwer for a most.
Nat Sciver-Brunt in motion.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI
Sciver-Brunt was at her belligerent greatest at the different finish. Her half-century, off 29 balls, got here by way of a flat-batted six over deep midwicket. It additionally introduced up the 100-run stand.
For GG to search out the goal, it wanted its in-form batters to not put a foot unsuitable. That wasn’t the case. Mooney drove Shabnim Ismail to slide in the very first over whereas Harleen Deol was run out in the fifth over. Gardner did smoke Matthews out of the park off her second ball, however was cleaned up by the offie in the similar over.
The scores: Mumbai Indians 213/4 in 20 overs (Matthews 77, Sciver-Brunt 77, Harmanpreet 36, Danielle Gibson 2/40) bt Gujarat Giants 166 in 19.2 overs (Gibson 34, Phoebe Litchfield 31, Bharti Fulmali 30, Matthews 3/31, Amelia Kerr 2/28).
Toss: GG. PoM: Matthews.
Final (Saturday): Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, 7.3. p.m.
Published – March 13, 2025 11:32 pm IST
