On Thursday, the Mumbai Indians (MI) pulled off an impressive win against the Delhi Capitals (DC) with a commanding eight wicket victory at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The match featured two of the top teams in the Women's Premier League WPL, T20 tournament, and it was a game that captivated fans across the country. The loss was particularly notable for one reason: the losing captain was none other than Meg Lanning, a legendary Australian cricketer who has become one of the most dominant players in the women's game.
WPL 2023: MI vs DC
Lanning's reputation precedes her, and she has been the architect of many a nightmare international game for Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Mumbai Indians. However, on this day, it was Kaur and her team who emerged victorious. The win was all the more impressive because MI made full use of a slightly dry wicket despite losing the toss, proving that they didn't rely on luck to secure the victory.
"I am not someone who depends a lot on toss," Harmanpreet said after Lanning opted to bat first. Going into the game with an unchanged XI, Harmanpreet’s matchups were set. After starting with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet brought in Saika Ishaque, the Purple Cap holder, to try and unsettle Orange Cap holder Lanning early on.
The match started with a quick strike from Ishaque, who managed to get Shafali Verma out after she misread an inward bound delivery. Mumbai's bowlers continued to place a stranglehold on the run flow, using Issy Wong and Ishaque in tandem to restrict Lanning to the crease. The Australian struggled to find space to free her arms and was unable to execute her usual 360-degree hitting template.
Despite a crucial 50-run stand for the fourth wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues, Lanning was unable to pick up the momentum needed to push the Delhi innings forward. She eventually fell to Ishaque in one of the softest dismissals, failing to connect with a fuller delivery from the left-arm spinner and holed out to Harmanpreet at extra-cover.
The wickets continued to fall for Delhi, and they painfully crawled to 105 before being bowled out with two overs to spare. Chasing just 106 to win from 120 balls, Yastika Bhatia took the onus of finishing the game as soon as possible. She struck two back-to-back boundaries off Kapp’s opening over to set the tone for the response.
In the end, it was a dominant performance from Mumbai Indians, who played much like Australia does at the international level. Matthews, who had a brilliant day with the ball, taking three wickets for just 19 runs, stuck three consecutive fours off Pandey’s second over to up the pace of the chase. Tara Norris and Alice Capsey took the only two wickets that fell for Mumbai, with Yastika falling lbw for 41 and Matthews dismissed courtesy a stunner of a catch at long-off from a diving Jemimah.
Sciver-Brunt, unbeaten on 23, finished the game with an aerial shot over mid-on for four, with Harmanpreet, unbeaten on 11, watching from the best seat in the house. The win was a testament to the strength of Mumbai Indians' team, which proved that they were capable of beating even the most dominant players in the women's game.
Conclusion:
The match was a thrilling contest that showcased the talent and skill of some of the best women cricketers in the world. While Meg Lanning may have suffered a rare loss as captain, the Mumbai Indians' victory was a testament to the disciplined and well-executed game plan of Harmanpreet Kaur's team. The Mumbai Indians showed impressive adaptability to the conditions and utilized their resources effectively to restrict the Delhi Capitals to a low total. Their batting also clicked into gear, with Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews leading the charge with their attacking stroke play.
Overall, the Women's T20 Challenge match between the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals was a thrilling display of high-quality cricket. It highlighted the growing popularity and success of women's cricket, as well as the increasing competitiveness of domestic T20 leagues. With more and more talented players emerging from different parts of the world, the future of women's cricket looks bright, and fans can expect to witness more exciting matches and performances in the years to come.
