Mumbai Indians emerged victorious in the first edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) by defeating Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the final at Brabourne stadium on Sunday. Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 60 off 55 deliveries was the cornerstone of the successful chase, as Mumbai Indians lifted the trophy in front of a packed stadium.
After winning the toss, Delhi Capitals decided to bat first, but their innings stuttered after some impressive bowling from Issy Wong, Hayley Matthew, and Amelia Kerr, who shared eight wickets between them to restrict the opposition to a modest total of 131/9 in 20 overs. However, Delhi Capitals managed to put up a decent total thanks to a 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket between Shikha Pandey (27 not out) and Radha Yadav (27).
Mumbai Indians got off to a shaky start, losing their openers Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia with only 23 runs on the board. However, Sciver-Brunt and captain Harmanpreet Kaur resurrected the innings with a 72-run partnership for the third wicket. They paced their innings perfectly, scoring through singles initially, and then indulging in boundaries off opportunities given by the bowlers.
Harmanpreet Kaur contributed 37 off 29 deliveries, hitting four boundaries, while Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 60 off 55 deliveries included seven boundaries. Sciver-Brunt was lucky to survive a close LBW decision via DRS and an appeal for caught behind. With Mumbai Indians needing 37 runs off 23 balls, Harmanpreet Kaur was run out, leaving Mumbai Indians in a tricky situation.
However, Sciver-Brunt held her nerve and guided Mumbai Indians to victory with an unbeaten 39-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Amelia Kerr, who hit two boundaries in the penultimate over to ease the pressure. Mumbai Indians needed five runs off the last over, and Sciver-Brunt hit a boundary off the third ball to complete her half-century and seal the victory for her team.
The Mumbai Indians fans were overjoyed with the win, as their team claimed the inaugural WPL title in style. The WPL has provided a much-needed platform for women's cricket in India, and the tournament has received a tremendous response from fans across the country. The Mumbai Indians' win will undoubtedly inspire many young girls to take up the sport and pursue their dreams of representing their country at the highest level.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 131/9 in 20 overs (Meg Lanning 35, Shikha Pandey 27 not out, Radha Yadav 27 not out; Hayley Matthews 3-5, Issy Wong 3-42, Amelia Kerr 2-19) lost to Mumbai Indians 134/3 in 19.3 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 60 not out, Harmanpreet 37, Amelia Kerr 14 not out; Radha Yadav 1-24) by 7 wickets.