The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 kicked off with a thrilling encounter between Mumbai Indians Women and Delhi Capitals Women at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Delhi Capitals, led by captain Meg Lanning, on the otherhand Delhi Capital led by Harmanpreet Kaur’s emerged victorious after chasing a competitive total of 172 runs in a last ball thriller
Delhi Capitals Bat First:
Having won the toss, Delhi Capitals opted to bat first. However, they suffered an early setback as the in-form Shafali Verma was dismissed cheaply for 1 run of 9 balls by the pacer Shabnim Ismail. However, this early setback did not stop the determination of the Delhi Capitals. Alice Capsey joined forces at the crease, bringing a wave of positivity and aggression to the innings right from the start.
CASTLED! 🎯
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
Shabnim Ismail with a spectacular delivery to claim the first wicket of Season 2 🔥🔥#TATAWPL | #MIvDC | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/H7TBL0Klre
Lanning, despite falling to a delivery from Nat Sciver-Brunt, played a valuable knock of 31 runs off 25 balls. Alice Capsey continued to dominate the bowlers, driving and cutting to every corner of the ground.and hitting the 2 sixes in a over by Mathews, Jemimah Rodrigues led the valuable support from the other end, contributing to the team’s momentum. Capsey’s impressive innings eventually came to an end when she was trapped lbw by Amelia Kerr, after scoring a brilliant 75 runs off 53 balls.
Double delight for @DelhiCapitals and the buzzing crowd here in Bengaluru! 💥💥
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
Match Centre 💻 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#MIvDC pic.twitter.com/HHqBjiwuDi
Marizanne Kapp Provides Late Order Boost:
In the later stages of the innings, Marizanne Kapp provided a late flourish with a quickfire 16 runs off just 9 balls, including three boundaries in the final over. This cameo helped Delhi Capitals post a daunting total of 171 runs on the board, setting Mumbai Indians a challenging target.
Mumbai Indians Stun Delhi Captials in Last Ball Winning
In a nail-biting finish to the opening match of the Women’s T20 series, the Mumbai Indians Women pulled off a thrilling last-ball victory against the Delhi Capitals Women, chasing down the target of 172 runs in dramatic fashion.
The chase began under challenging circumstances as Mumbai Indians lost their opener, Hayley Matthews, for a duck to Marizanne Kapp in the very second ball of the innings. However, this early setback did not dampen the spirits of the Mumbai Indians. Yastika Bhatia, alongside Nat Sciver-Brunt, steadied the ship by building a crucial 50-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a solid foundation for the chase.
As the innings progressed, Mumbai Indians’ captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, joined the fray, starting her innings with a stylish four off the very first ball. Along with Yastika Bhatia, she mounted a fierce counterattack, adding another 56 runs to the total. Their partnership was characterized by aggressive batting and smart cricket, taking the game deep. Bhatia’s innings came to an end after a well-made 57 runs off 45 balls, which included 2 sixes and 8 fours, caught at deep mid-wicket.
With the game on a knife-edge, Mumbai Indians needed 43 runs in the last 4 overs. The situation demanded calm and precision, and Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was up to the task. However, the tension escalated when Shikha Pandey took the crucial wicket of Amelia Kerr, leaving Mumbai at 150-4 in 17.4 overs.
As the penultimate over concluded, Kaur brought up her half-century with a magnificent six, setting the stage for a dramatic final over with just 12 runs needed. The over started with a setback for Mumbai as Pooja Vastrakar was caught off the bowling of Alice Capsey. With 5 runs needed off the last 2 balls, the atmosphere was electric. Unfortunately, Harmanpreet Kaur’s attempt at a big hit fell short, caught by Sutherland after a valiant 55 off 34 balls.
Final ball. Match-defining Six. Contrasting emotions
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
The #TATAWPL Season 2 has well and truly begun 🔥😍
Scorecard 💻📱 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#MIvDC pic.twitter.com/tjbm4bpDsV
The match came down to the wire with Mumbai needing 5 runs off the last ball. S Sajana stepped up to the crease and delivered under pressure, smashing the ball to out of the boundary for a SIX to secure a sensational last ball victory for the Mumbai Indians Women. It was a match that had everything – early setbacks, solid partnerships, strategic batting, and a last-ball thriller, encapsulating the excitement and unpredictability of women’s T20 cricket.