In what will go down as one of the most iconic moments in Women’s Premier League (WPL) history, Nat Sciver-Brunt etched her name into the record books by becoming the very first batter to score a century in the WPL. The Mumbai Indians star came out in brilliant touch in their crucial match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, crafting a masterful innings that showcased both power and precision.
Sciver-Brunt’s 100 not out coming off just 57 balls with 16 fours and a six, with a strike rate of 175, marked a historic landmark for the league, which is in its fourth season since inception in 2023. No batter had previously crossed the three-figure mark in the WPL’s first three editions, making this landmark innings a defining moment not just for Mumbai Indians, but for women’s franchise cricket in India.
From the outset of Mumbai Indians’ innings, Sciver-Brunt looked in supreme touch. After a shaky start that saw the early wicket of Sajana Sajeevan fall, she anchored the innings with calm authority before unleashing a breathtaking acceleration through the middle and latter overs. A defining feature of the innings was her match-turning 131-run partnership with Hayley Matthews, which completely wrested momentum away from RCB.
After Mumbai’s early stutter, the duo rebuilt with clarity and intent, mixing caution with controlled aggression. Matthews provided the ideal foil, absorbing pressure early and then accelerating while Sciver-Brunt steadily took charge.
The importance of this knock cannot be overstated. Sciver-Brunt has long been a linchpin for Mumbai Indians and one of the WPL’s most prolific performers. She entered this season already as the all-time leading run-scorer in the tournament’s brief history and remains a cornerstone of the franchise’s batting lineup as she dawns the orange cap now with 319 runs.
In previous seasons, the closest the league had come to a century was a string of powerful half-centuries from top players, but none had carried on to the 100-run mark until now. The absence of a WPL century despite several dominant performances had become a talking point among fans and commentators alike.
For Mumbai Indians, Sciver-Brunt’s innings came at a crucial juncture in the 2026 campaign. After a mixed run of results that included losses to UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals — performances where Sciver-Brunt had led the way with half-centuries but not quite enough support from the rest of the lineup, this landmark knock not only steadied the team but gave them a platform to challenge one of the top sides this season.
It was striking how Sciver-Brunt shifted gears through her innings. She balanced calculated defense in the early overs with aggressive intent once set, demonstrating a range of strokes that tested the depth and variation of the RCB bowling attack. Her ability to rotate strike and punish anything loose ensured that Mumbai Indians were always ahead of the required scoring rate, a hallmark of seasoned match-winners.
Beyond this match, Sciver-Brunt’s century is a landmark moment for the WPL itself, a league that has rapidly grown in stature and competitiveness. Since its launch in 2023, the WPL has attracted some of the best women’s cricket. As Mumbai Indians look to capitalise on this momentum in the race toward the playoffs, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s century will be remembered not just as a personal milestone, but as a defining moment in the broader narrative of women’s cricket.
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