Under the Brabourne lights, Mumbai Indians’ skipper Harmanpreet Kaur once again proved why she is the backbone of her team. Walking in at a crisis moment in the Final of the Women’s Premier League 2025, with her side struggling at 14/2 in 4.3 overs, Kaur produced a fighting knock of 66 off 44 balls, ensuring MI had a competitive total on the board despite Delhi Capitals’ relentless strikes.
Mumbai’s openers faltered against a fiery new-ball spell from Marizanne Kapp, who dismissed both Yastika Bhatia (8 off 14) and Hayley Matthews (3 off 10), leaving MI in early trouble. Kaur, known for her composure under pressure, took her time to settle in. She cautiously opened her account before cutting loose with a boundary off Annabel Sutherland, signaling the start of her counterattack. At the end of the powerplay, MI had crawled to 20/2, desperately needing their captain to anchor the innings.
Partnering with Natalie Sciver-Brunt (30 off 28), Kaur gradually shifted gears. At 28/2 in 8 overs, she decided to take control, finding boundaries at regular intervals. She was particularly aggressive against Sutherland in the 10th over, dispatching her for a six and a four, before further stamping her authority with three boundaries off Jess Jonassen. When Shikha Pandey returned to curb the scoring, Kaur welcomed her with yet another crisp four.
Her half-century arrived in style during the 13th over— a fluent drive past long-on off Minnu Mani’s tossed-up delivery. Reaching the milestone in just 35 balls, she yet again showcased her ability to absorb pressure and turn the tide in her team’s favor.
The partnership with Sciver-Brunt flourished, adding 89 off 62 balls, before the latter fell to Nallapureddy Charani’s clever full-length delivery. A hard slog-sweep resulted in a sharp catch at square leg by Minnu Mani, breaking the stand that had given MI some much-needed stability.
Kaur, however, continued to push towards a strong finish, but her resistance ended on the very first ball of the 18th over. Attempting to loft a well-disguised cross-seamer from Sutherland, she found Marizanne Kapp at deep extra-cover, who held onto the catch after a slight juggle. Her valiant knock of 66 off 44 had laid the foundation, but MI still had work to do.
Despite her departure, late contributions from Amanjot Kaur (14* off 7) and Sanskriti Gupta (8* off 5) took MI to 149/7 at the end of 20 overs. For Delhi Capitals, Kapp (2/11), Jonassen (2/26), and Charani (2/43) ensured that Mumbai never truly ran away with the game.
While the final total may not have been imposing, Harmanpreet Kaur’s innings was a testament to her resilience and leadership. From walking in during a crisis to crafting a counterattacking masterclass, the MI skipper once again delivered when her team needed her the most.
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