Following two final-ball thrillers, the ongoing 02 edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is underway with quality competitive cricket and match no. 3 featured a face-off between Harmanpreet-led Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants captained by Beth Mooney. Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first, despite early wickets Gujarat Giants managed a respectable 126/9, on the back of notable contributions from Tanuja Kanwar, Kathryn Bryce, and Beth Mooney. Mumbai Indians chased down the target successfully with 5 wickets in hand and 11 balls remaining. This match-winning performance of Mumbai was led by Amelia Kerr and Harmanpreet Kaur’s vital partnerships.
Amelia Kerr all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award with standout figures of 4 wickets against 17 runs and a crucial 31 off 25 balls. Pacer Shabnim Ismail also hit the spotlight as she secured 3 wickets in her name. Mumbai Indians secured consecutive victories launching their campaign in the WPL’s 2nd edition with momentum. For Gujarat Giants who finished at the bottom of the table last season, this loss adds early pressure to their performance in the upcoming matches of the tournament.
Vada Pav vs Dhokla 😉
Which side are you on? 😂#CricketTwitter #GGvMI #WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/hjL369engU
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) February 25, 2024
Let’s take a look at the main highlights from the match-
1) Mumbai going back-to-back
Two Games, Two Wins For The Defending Champions! 🔥#WPL2024 #MumbaiIndians #MIvsGG #MI pic.twitter.com/kSs3NFi4jy
— CRICKETNMORE (@cricketnmore) February 25, 2024
The defending WPL champions Mumbai Indians kicked off their WPL 2024 campaign with an electrifying victory over the Delhi Capitals earlier this week, in a nail-biting finish in Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy. Sajana rose to the occasion smashing a six off the final delivery to secure a thrilling six-wicket win. This victory set the tone for Mumbai Indians’ season and they continued their winning streak by clinching their second consecutive triumph of the 2024 season. Against the Gujarat Giants, needing just four runs to win off, the skipper Harmanpreet showcased her prowess with a powerful slog sweep sending the ball sailing over the boundary for a six, ensuring victory with 11 deliveries to spare. Mumbai Indians’ dominant performance has left spectators in awe hailing them as an unstoppable force in the WPL tournament.
2) Kathryn Bryce’s debut
First-ever #TATAWPL game for her and Scotland's Kathryn Bryce bowls a wicket-maiden 🔥🔥
Mumbai Indians lose Yastika Bhatia in the chase.
Match Centre 💻📱https://t.co/K8TakIEr6g#TATAWPL | #GGvMI pic.twitter.com/LpMw7cSYk7
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 25, 2024
Kathryn Bryce stands as a prominent figure in both Scottish and English cricket, praised for her skills as an all-rounder. Her impactful debut for the Gujrat Giants showcased her prowess with both bat and ball. In a moment of need, Bryce emerged as a savior forming a crucial partnership with Tanuja Kanwar to pull her team from the verge of falling apart. Her unbeaten innings of 25 runs off 24 balls proved to strengthen in steering the Giants towards a competitive total of 126. In the second inning, Bryce left her mark claiming the wicket of the formidable Yastika Bhatia, and finished with figures of 1/22 (3). Kathryn Bryce’s all-around performance highlights her significance to the Gujrat Giants and established her as a force in the upcoming matches.
3) Amelia Kerr’s 4-fer
She can knock a few in men's cricket too!!#MIvsGG #Ameliakerr pic.twitter.com/DrXbMIihkz
— Ankur Dhuri (@AnkurDhuri_45) February 25, 2024
Amelia Kerr knocked out the lower order of the Gujarat Giants, claiming 4 crucial wickets during the first innings. Additionally, she showcased her batting prowess contributing 31 runs with the bat. Her exceptional performance earned her the well-deserved title of ‘player of the match.’ Such was the impact of her display that some enthusiasts lauded her abilities to the extent of suggesting she could replicate her success in men’s cricket as well.
