In a commanding 50-run victory over Delhi Capitals at DY Patil Stadium on January 10, 2026, Mumbai Indians all-rounder Nicola Carey addressed the post-match press conference. The 32-year-old Australian is filling in for the sidelined Hayley Matthews, delivered another stellar showing in her second WPL game, 21 off 12 balls with the bat and match figures of 4-0-37-3 with the ball, building on her debut fireworks of 40 off 29 and 4-0-35-2 against RCB.
As MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur pocketed Player of the Match honours for her unbeaten 74 off 42, Carey’s grounded insights revealed her seamless integration into the champions’ setup during the fourth WPL edition.
MI rebounded sharply from their opening loss to RCB, posting 195/4 after DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues, the youngest WPL captain at 25 years and 127 days, won the toss and bowled first. Nat Sciver-Brunt anchored with a classy 70 off 46, stitching key stands of 49 and 66, while Harmanpreet provided the finishing flourish with 8 fours and 3 sixes. DC crumbled to 145 all out, with Chinelle Henry’s defiant 56 off 33 the lone bright spot amid a top-order collapse to 46/5. Debutant Nandani Sharma impressed with 3-0-26-2, but Carey’s wickets and lower-order cameo proved decisive.
Carey addressed her unexpected role head-on, acknowledging the team dynamics without a hint of resentment. “Yeah, that would be very fair to say that I wouldn’t be starting if Hayley was fit,” she said, crediting Matthews’ imminent return and Amelia Kerr’s tough opening stints. “Hopefully she’s not too far off, it’d be good for us to get Hayley back and then Melie (Amelia Kerr) can slot back down into a position where she’s dominated for this team for a number of years.” Her humility underscored MI’s depth, fresh off lifting their 2nd title in 3 seasons so far.
Reflecting on her journey, from domestic consistency to a Hundred injury replacement that paved her WPL path, Carey downplayed international ambitions. “Honestly, I actually haven’t given it much thought. I’ve been really happy doing what I’m doing,” she shared, emphasising game time’s value. “It’s sort of wild to think about the little opportunities that I’ve been afforded in the last 12 months. I’m really enjoying what I’m doing at the moment.” This mindset fueled her tweaks post a rocky debut over, where she bowled fuller into the wicket for her powerplay breakthroughs against DC.
Praising Harmanpreet’s leadership, Carey highlighted the skipper’s calm aura. “She’s always been pretty quiet, goes about her business, very cool, calm and collected,” she noted, recalling a Thunder six that lingers in memory. “She doesn’t act like a celebrity around the group. She’s just a very down-to-earth person.” With goals centered on soaking up WPL’s electric crowds and learning alongside stars like Harmanpreet, Carey eyes a deep run, blending overseas nous with local talent.
Carey’s poise signals MI’s resilience in a season of short turnarounds and new eras, like Rodrigues’ DC debut as skipper and Gujarat Giants’ thriller win over UP Warriorz. As the double-header day unfolded, her words captured the tournament’s thrill.
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