In a crucial contest in the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL), match 19 saw the Mumbai Indians take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a high-stakes showdown as the latter had in sight a spot in the playoffs alongside defending champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals.
Winning the toss, the Challengers opted to field first. Mumbai’s innings started with promise as Hayley Matthews and Sanjeevan Sajana laid a solid foundation. Off the last ball of the 6th over, Sophie Devine dismissed Matthews on 26(23), putting an end to Mumbai’s 43-run opening-wicket stand.
Striking boundaries at regular intervals as Sajana got into her innings, Ellyse Perry in her 2nd over scalped her maiden ’24 WPL wicket, dismissing Sajana on 30(21). One wicket got another as Perry off the very next ball handed Harmanpreet Kaur a golden duck, her first in the WPL. Perry continued to breathe fire as in her very next over she sent back Amelia Kerr on 2(5) and Amanjot Kaur on 4(5).
Bowling her 4th over on the trot, she dismissed Pooja Vastrakar on 5(8), completing her five-fa, and with the wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt (10) off her last ball, she produced her career-best of 6/15, also the best figures in the WPL, leaving Mumbai reeling at 82/7 from 62/2, a far cry from their initial strong start.
Best Bowling Figures in the WPL
Ellyse Perry 4-0-15-6 v MI 2024
Marizanne Kapp 4-0-15-5 v GG 2023
Sobhana Asha 4-0-20-5 v UPW 2024
Tara Norris 4-0-29-5 v RCB 2023
Kim Garth 4-0-36-5 v UPW 2023
Despite a valiant effort from debutant Priyanka Bala (18*), Mumbai was bundled out for a modest 113. This was only the 2nd time that Mumbai was all-out in the WPL and the first time that the Challengers managed to do so.
Lowest Team Total For Mumbai Indians in WPL In Completed Innings
109/8 v DC 2023
113/10 v RCB 2024
127/10 v UPW 2023
Chasing a target of 114, the Challengers encountered early setbacks, losing both Sophie Molineux and Smriti Mandhana cheaply. Though Smriti departed cheaply, she hit the milestone of 400 runs in the WPL. Ellyse Perry, displaying her all-round prowess, alongside Sophie Devine guided the team to finish the powerplay on 39/2. The first ball after the powerplay and the strategic time out, the Challengers lost Sophie on 4(2). Nonetheless, with 54 runs on board in the 9th over, the Challengers had sealed the final spot in the playoffs.
Perry’s unbeaten 40 and the in-form Richa Ghosh’s composed 36* ensured the Challengers achieved the target with ease, registering a commanding seven-wicket victory, with five overs to spare.
Largest victories in WPL 2024 (Balls Remaining)
RCB won by 8 wickets, 45 balls remaining v GG
DC won by 9 wickets, 33 balls remaining v UPW
RCB won by 7 wickets, 30 balls remaining v MI
MI won by 7 wickets, 29 balls remaining v RCB
UPW won by 6 wickets, 26 balls remaining v GG
Orange Cap List
Deepti Sharma – 8 matches 295 runs
Meg Lanning – 7 matches 290 runs
Beth Mooney – 7 matches 285 runs
Smriti Mandhana – 8 matches 259 runs
Ellyse Perry – 7 matches 246 runs
Purple Cap List
Sophie Ecclestone – 8 matches 11 wickets
Jess Jonassen – 5 matches 10 wickets
Radha Yadav – 7 matches 10 wickets
Deepti Sharma – 8 matches 10 wickets
Marizanne Kapp – 5 matches 9 wickets