Post-match Jon Lewis, Head Coach, UP Warriorz, and Hayley Matthews, All-rounder, Mumbai Indians addressed a press conference at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
In an exciting match between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz, Harmanpreet Kaur leading the Mumbai Indians, won the toss and chose to bat first against the UP Warriorz.
However, Mumbai’s innings got off to a rough start as they lost both openers early, to Chamari Athapaththu. Despite a 59-run partnership between Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt, the Warriorz bowlers continued taking the wickets, with Saima Thakor and others making crucial breakthroughs. Mumbai managed to set a total of 160/6, with notable contributions from Sciver-Brunt (45), Amelia Kerr (39), and Kaur (33).
In response, UP Warriorz struggled, losing wickets regularly, including that of their skipper Alyssa Healy. Deepti Sharma provided some contribution with a half-century, but Mumbai Indians’ bowlers, led by Saika Ishaque claiming 3 wickets and Nat Sciver-Brunt a couple, restricted the Warriorz to 118/9, securing a 42-run victory. Nat’s all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award, reaffirming Mumbai Indians’ return to winning ways in the tournament.
Jon Lewis, the Head Coach of UP Warriorz, offered insights into key players’ performances, emphasizing the need for players to express themselves on the field. Reflecting on Grace Harris’s recent performance, Lewis acknowledges her past contributions but suggests that she may have felt pressure in a recent match. He encourages her to play her natural, aggressive style, emphasizing the importance of mindset in challenging situations.
Discussing Alyssa Healy’s form, Lewis praised her batting prowess and acknowledged the risks associated with her top-order position. Despite a dismissal in a recent match, he commends Healy’s consistent efforts highlighting the significance of calculated risks in aggressive batting, and acknowledged the uncertainties in cricket that even the best players face.
Assessing Chamari Athapaththu’s contributions, Lewis highlighted her confidence and talent. He empathized with the challenges faced by top-class international players on the sidelines and remains hopeful that Athapaththu will find her form and contribute significantly to the team’s success.
Further on discussing Poonam Khemnar’s emergence as a promising talent, Lewis highlights her dedication. He mentioned, “She works incredibly hard, she’s really dedicated to her skills…she’s an exciting talent and we’re really pleased with what she’s done.”
Lewis also acknowledged Deepti Sharma’s improvement in batting performance throughout the tournament, with her recently scoring a half-century in a game vs Mumbai. He remarked, “I’ve actually seen some quite big improvement in Deepti over the course of this tournament…she’s played pretty well for us in this tournament so far.”
Lewis provides insights into the playing conditions in Delhi, emphasizing the uniqueness of the pitch and dynamics. He reflects on Mumbai’s batting performance, suggesting that the pitch may have been more difficult than anticipated. Despite the challenges, Lewis remains optimistic about his team’s chances, highlighting the need for discipline while chasing down the targets effectively.
He mentioned, “I think the wicket was trickier than what we thought at the toss…I think we can chase this down, but we’re gonna have to play well.”
Reflecting on the team’s ability to bounce back from setbacks, Hayley Matthews emphasized the confidence established in the squad. The setback of losses allows them to approach upcoming fixtures with renewed determination and self-belief.
She mentioned, “I think for the second time in the tournament what we were able to do really well is bounce back from a pretty hard loss.”
Hayley Matthews commented on Mumbai Indians’ bowling options, highlighting the versatility and depth within the squad. She acknowledged the role of players like Pooja Vastrakar, in the flexibility of bowling options which allows Mumbai Indians to adapt to different match situations effectively.
Furthermore, Hayley Matthews discussed the strategy behind setting a defendable total and executing their bowling plans. Matthews emphasized the importance of executing plans under pressure, especially in the answer to aggressive batting from the opposition. She praised her teammates for their composure and ability to maintain tight lines and lengths throughout the innings.
She mentioned, “I think that when you looked at the first two games in Delhi almost 400 runs were scored in Each game probably 380 360 runs with squared in each game. So yeah for us when we put up that 160 we probably figured it was their own power and I think our bowlers just did an exceptional job to be able to restrict them to that under 120 in the end. I think pretty much every bowler that stepped out there was able to keep things pretty tight.”
Matthews also acknowledged standout performances within the team, including Yastika Bhatia’s improved batting display. She commended Bhatia’s progress and attributed it to her enhanced intent and positive mindset.
Reflecting on her batting, Matthews expressed confidence in her abilities despite facing challenges. She emphasized the importance of staying positive and backing her skills, a mindset that contributes to her team. Matthews highlighted her approach as an all-rounder, emphasizing her ability to think like a batter while bowling. She emphasised this dual perspective which allows her to anticipate opposition strategies and alter her bowling accordingly, showcasing her tactical approach and adaptability on the field.
She mentioned, “I think I just keep backing my skills. I think as a player everyone goes through patches and I feel as though like I said before Yastika and I are going out there to be really positive and that’s going to bring about some low scores at times but yeah I’ve still been feeling really comfortable at the crease which has been the best part for me…. I just try and use my batting smarts as much as possible to get into the batter’s head and hopefully, I guess correctly a lot of the time.”