MUMBAI: It was a day of all-around dominance for Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Brabourne Stadium as not only they did win their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title to become the league’s most dominant team, but also clean swept with all major awards.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s onslaught with the bat in a tough situation and later, measured spells from all-rounders Nat-Sciver Brunt and Amelia Kerr helped MI beat a valiant DC in a thriller by eight runs, giving their opponent a third-successive heartbreak in the final.
After being put to bat first by Delhi who opted to field first, DC restricted MI to 14/2 in 4.3 overs. An 89-run partnership between skipper Harmanpreet (66 in 44 balls, with nine fours and two sixes) and Nat-Sciver (30 in 28 balls, with four boundaries) pushed MI beyond the 100-run mark. G Kamalini (10) and Amanjot Kaur (14*) took MI to 149/7 in their 20 overs through their cameos.
Marizanne Kapp (2/11 in four overs) was exceptionally tight and economical with the ball, getting openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews. Jess Jonassen (2/26) and Shree Charani (2/43) also took two wickets each.
DC kept losing wickets regularly in their run-chase, sinking to 83/6 in 12.5 overs. Openers skipper Meg Lanning (13) and Shafali Varma (4) failed to fire while Jemimah Rodrigues (30 in 21 balls, with four boundaries) put up a fight. Later, a 40-run stand between Kapp (40 in 26 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and Niki Prasad (25* in 23 balls, with a four and six) helped DC put up a fight, but Niki herself ran out of support as DC could make just 141/9 in their 20 overs.
Nat-Sciver (3/30) and Amelia (2/25) was the pick of the bowlers for MI.
Harmanpreet won the ‘Player of the Match’ for her half-century. In 10 matches, she scored 302 runs at an average of 33.55 with a strike rate of over 154 and three half-centuries, with best score of 66.
Nat-Sciver delivered an all-time great campaign, securing the ‘Player of the Tournament’ title with 523 runs in 10 innings with the bat at an average of 65.37 and a strike rate of over 152 and five fifties. Her best score was 80*. She also ended up as the top-run-getter, receiving the Orange Cap for most runs.
With the ball, Nat Sciver got 12 wickets at an average of 22.50 and best figures of 3/18. She was the joint third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
The Purple Cap for most wickets went to MI all-rounder Amelia, who took 18 scalps in 10 matches at an average of 15.94 and best figures of 5/38. (ANI)
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