Mumbai Indians (Harmanpreet 46*, Kerr 31, Kanwar 2-21) beat Gujarat Giants 126 for 9 (Kanwar 28, Bryce 25*, Kerr 4-17, Ismail 3-18) by 5 wickets
Harmanpreet and run-chases have been a love story within the WPL. She started this season with a half-century in a chase towards Delhi Capitals, very like she had carried out within the very first match of the inaugural season, additionally towards Giants. She averages over 63 in chases within the transient historical past of the competitors. Which is why Mumbai would have breathed simple even when Nat Sciver-Brunt's departure had them at 49 for 3.
A pristinely timed cowl drive received her going towards Capitals, and right here, she punched Tanuja Kanwar's left-arm spin by cover-point for 4 to get going. The goal in sight meant she might take her time, which she did whilst Sciver-Brunt attacked on the different finish. She introduced out her paddle sweeps and reverse-sweeps usually to manoeuvre the ball round and stored Mumbai properly forward of the asking charge. In the corporate of Kerr, she nearly introduced Mumbai inside sights.
Harmanpreet Kaur goes down to brush the ball•BCCI
Even after Kerr and Pooja Vastrakar fell in an area of 5 balls, there was no purpose for Mumbai to panic. Harmanpreet ensured it stayed that approach, ending off the match with a six over deep midwicket.
It was a dream begin for Mumbai after they opted to bowl. It didn't take lengthy as soon as once more for Ismail to attract first blood. Ismail, whose worldwide retirement final yr left the cricketing world in shock, has been glowing as a T20 freelancer, and she or he was no completely different on Sunday. She set Veda Krishnamurthy, who was on her WPL debut, up with a size ball shifting away, earlier than getting one to nip again in sharply from a fullish size. Veda was on the transfer on the entrance foot and was pinned in entrance for a second-ball duck. In her subsequent over, Ismail meted out the same remedy to Harleen Deol, getting her lbw. Giants misplaced two wickets in addition to each their evaluations within the first 16 balls.
Phoebe Litchfield - additionally on WPL debut - introduced her reverse sweep alongside and showcased it towards Hayley Matthews. But her keep was short-lived as she edged one to brief third off Sciver-Brunt. Harmanpreet continuously shuffled her bowlers round and by no means let the batters lower unfastened. D Hemalatha's one such effort had her gap out to long-on.
Sensing a possibility to shut out the innings early, Ismail was introduced on for her final over within the eleventh of the innings. And she managed to dislodge the immovable Beth Mooney, who had steadily moved alongside to 24. At 5 for 58, Giants had been properly and really in mush. And it solely received worse when Kerr joined the celebration within the 14th over. She first had Ashleigh Gardner caught at long-on earlier than deceiving Sneh Rana with a fallacious'un to bowl her by the gate two balls later.
The rescue act of Bryce and Kanwar
When Giants had been struggling at 78 for 7 with simply over six overs to go, Kathryn Bryce, the one Associate participant in WPL 2024, was joined within the center by Kanwar. The duo managed to search out common fours off the 2 legspinners, Kerr and SB Keerthana. Bryce additionally managed to get beneath a tossed-up Matthews ball to tonk it into the deep midwicket stands. The pair helped Giants take 33 within the final 4 overs, regardless of the double-wicket closing over from Kerr.
After the rescue act with the bat was carried out, Bryce and Kanwar now started in earnest with the ball. The Scotland allrounder struck on her second ball within the competitors to have Yastika Bhatia miscue to mid-off within the third over. Brought on because the fourth bowler within the fourth, Kanwar managed to have Matthews hit towards her left-arm spin straight into the ready arms of deep midwicket. In her closing over - the seventeenth - she squared up Vastrakar to knock her over and completed with 2 for 21 off her 4 overs.
When she fired an correct throw to the wicketkeeper Mooney within the eighth over to catch Sciver-Brunt brief, it appeared that Kanwar might encourage Giants to do the unthinkable. However, the skilled Harmanpreet ensured that Mumbai's head-to-head towards Giants learn 3-0 of their favour on the finish of Sunday.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7
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