Harmanpreet Kaur leads Mumbai to second WPL Crown, Delhi's final woes continue

By K.R. Nayar
From Brabourne Stadium

Mumbai. Cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by eight runs to win the third edition of the Women's Premier League for the second time at Mumbai’s historic Brabourne Stadium on Saturday. After posting a challenging 149 for 7 in 20 overs, the home team restricted Delhi to 141 for 9. It was Delhi’s third consecutive loss in the final, having reached the summit clash in all three editions of the tournament.

For Mumbai, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front with a fluent 66 off 44 balls, including nine boundaries and two sixes. She was well supported by Nat Sciver-Brunt (30), and their 89-run partnership helped the team recover from a slow start.

Delhi’s chase was derailed by Sciver-Brunt, who took three wickets for 30 runs, well backed by Amelia Kerr (2 for 25). Though Marizanne Kapp sparked hopes of a comeback with a breezy 40, and Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with 30, Delhi fell short. Nikki Prasad's unbeaten 25 took them close to the target, but she couldn’t break Delhi’s jinx of losing in the final.

Early struggles for Mumbai

Earlier, Delhi won the toss and opted to field. Mumbai managed just three runs in the first two overs. With the last ball of the third over, when the score was five, Kapp clean-bowled opener Hayley Matthews for three with a delivery that nipped back.

Sciver-Brunt, who joined Yastika Bhatia, became the first batter in WPL history to score 1,000 runs. However, Yastika soon fell to a diving catch by Jemimah Rodrigues at cover off Kapp for eight.

The joy of wining the title by leading from the front 

The first boundary came in the fifth over from Yastika, followed by another in the sixth when Kaur cut Annabel Sutherland through point. Runs were hard to come by, and Sciver-Brunt found a rare boundary off Shree Charani in the ninth over, followed by a well-timed cover drive. The crowd erupted when Kaur hit Sutherland for a six off the first ball of the 10th over. At the halfway mark, Mumbai were 53 for 2.

Three consecutive boundaries off Jess Jonassen in the 11th over were a treat to watch, all elegantly placed through the cover region. Shikha Pandey was also punished by Kaur and Sciver-Brunt, and Mumbai looked well-placed at 77 for 2 in the 12th over. Kaur brought up her half-century in 33 balls with eight boundaries and a six.

The 100-run mark was crossed in the 15th over, but the 89-run partnership between Sciver-Brunt and Kaur ended when Charani had Sciver-Brunt caught by Mani at square leg. Undeterred, Kaur smashed Jonassen for a six over deep square leg in the next over. However, Jonassen struck back, dismissing Kerr for 2 and trapping Sajeevan Sajana leg before for a duck in the same over.

Kaur’s brilliant knock ended in the 18th over when she hit Sutherland straight to Kapp at deep extra cover for 66. Though G. Kamalini fell stumped for 10, Mumbai managed to push their total to 149 for 7 in 20 overs. In the last five overs, Mumbai lost four wickets but added 45 runs.

Delhi’s shaky start

Delhi's innings began with a stroke of luck as Meg Lanning edged the first ball between slips and short third man for a boundary. However, she didn’t last long, getting clean-bowled by an off-cutter from Sciver-Brunt for an unlucky 13.

Jonassen joined Shafali Verma, but dot-ball specialist Shabnim Ismail trapped Verma leg-before for 4. With both openers back in the dugout and the score at just 17, Delhi were in early trouble. Jonassen lasted only 15 balls for her 13 before falling to Kerr’s googly, caught by wicketkeeper Yastika.

Delhi’s hopes rested on Rodrigues and Sutherland, but Saika Ishaque had Sutherland stumped for 2 with a beauty. Mumbai fans erupted in joy as the score read 44 for 4. At the halfway mark, Delhi needed 92 runs from the last 10 overs.

Rodrigues perished in the 11th over, spooning a return catch to Kerr, leaving Delhi reeling at 66 for 5. Kapp kept the chase alive with a six off Sciver-Brunt, but the required run rate kept climbing. Matters worsened when Sarah Bryce was run out for 5.

In the last five overs, Delhi needed 52 runs. Ishaque was taken for 17 runs in the 16th over, with Kapp smashing a six and two boundaries, reducing the equation to 35 off 24 balls. Ismail kept things tight in the 17th over, conceding only six runs.

With 27 needed off 15 balls, Kapp holed out to Matthews at long-off for 40, her knock coming off just 26 balls with five boundaries and two sixes. Sciver-Brunt celebrated by clean-bowling Shikha Pandey for a duck.

Delhi needed 14 off the final over, with Nikki Prasad scoring an unbeaten 25, but Mumbai held their nerve to clinch the title once again.