In the aftermath of the Mumbai Indians’ agonising 11-run defeat to Gujarat Giants in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Match 19 at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara on January 30, head coach Lisa Keightley faced the media with characteristic candour.
Chasing 168, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s valiant 82* (48), including 8 boundaries and 4 maximums at a strike rate of 170.83, went in vain as MI finished at 156/7, handing Gujarat their historic first win over the two-time champions and booking an Eliminator spot on February 3. Harmanpreet Kaur has reclaimed the orange cap with 342 runs at a strike rate of 150.66 and an average of 68.40, in 8 innings, including 3 half-centuries in 8 matches with the bat for her side this season so far.
With playoffs now hinging on Delhi Capitals’ final league game win against UP Warriorz on February 1, Keightley dissected the loss, spotlighting persistent opening struggles, injury disruptions, and a critical collapse.
Keightley reserved praise for opener Sajeevan Sajana, who scored a gritty 26 off 25, anchoring Mumbai amid early top-order woes. “I think Sajana actually did quite well in the end. She was over a run-a-ball, and when she did hit clean, it was clean,” she said, defending the pairing with Hayley Matthews despite Matthews’ early exit for 6 off 8. Sajana’s season tally stands at 103 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 135.52 and an average of 17.16, a testament to her adaptability after shifting from No. 6 due to (Gunalan) Kamalini’s departure.
Reflecting on Mumbai’s unsettled line-up, Keightley pinpointed injuries as the season’s Achilles’ heel, starting with Matthews’ quad strain in the practice match that sidelined her for three games. “We were really clear on what it looked like going into the tournament, and then when Hayley Matthews did a quad, it was tough when you’re missing a world-class opening batter. It’s hard to replace,” she explained.
This forced constant tweaks, including Nicola Carey’s integration, disrupting momentum in a campaign marred by early losses and sicknesses. “We’ve just probably struggled to get that momentum into our season, which is disappointing,” Keightley admitted, underscoring how Gujarat’s bowlers, led by Sophie Devine’s 4-1-23-2 and Georgia Wareham’s 4-0-26-2, capitalised.
The chase unravelled dramatically after the second strategic timeout, with Mumbai needing 37 off the last two overs and four wickets in hand, Harmanpreet primed at the crease. Keightley revealed her tactical nudge during the final strategic timeout. “The message was Amanjot Kaur had to go and take a little bit of pressure off Harmanpreet Kaur, try and get it to something achievable.” But Gujarat’s execution was flawless, especially Ashleigh Gardner’s final-over defence of 26 runs (3-0-26-1). “They bowled really well, that two-over shift, that was a big shift,” Keightley noted, crediting the home side’s plans.
Despite Amelia Kerr’s all-round efforts (4-0-26-2 and 20 off 16), Mumbai Indians couldn’t recover from the surface’s trickiness and Gujarat’s total of 167/4, powered by Gardner’s 46 (28), Wareham’s 44* (28), and Devine’s exploits that reclaimed her Purple Cap (17 wickets at 13.94 average). Keightley’s unflinching assessment leaves Mumbai’s fate uncertain, but her backing of core players signals resolve, as they keep a close eye on the action between Delhi Capitals, led by skipper Jemimah Rodrigues and the UP Warriorz, led by skipper Meg Lanning, on 1st February 2026 at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, from 7:30 PM IST.
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