Vadodara, Feb 19 (IANS) Former India skipper Mithali Raj has praised Mumbai Indians’ outstanding performance in the comfortable five-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) match and said it was a “comprehensive and commanding” victory for inaugural season champions.
A combined bowling effort helped Mumbai Indians finally get on the board with a convincing five-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in Vadodara on Tuesday.
The trio of Hayley Matthews (3-16), Amelia Kerr (2-22), and Natalie Sciver-Brunt (2-26) ensured Mumbai only had to get 121 for victory. Mumbai’s chase was led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who followed up her game-changing PowerPlay spell with a half-century to cap off a special all-round effort that secured the win with 23 balls to spare.
“Mumbai Indians started strong by winning the toss and then maintained control by consistently taking crucial wickets against Gujarat Giants. They bowled in the right areas, picking up key dismissals, particularly of the overseas players, restricting Gujarat Giants to just 121 runs. The chase was executed efficiently, finishing in just over 16 overs. Overall, it was a comprehensive and commanding victory for Mumbai Indians,” Mithali said on JioHotstar.
MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to field. The decision quickly paid dividends as Sciver-Brunt triggered the PowerPlay collapse when she got the huge wicket of Beth Mooney. On the stroke of the powerplay, she got rid of the in-form Ashleigh Gardner for just 10 runs, to lend GG a mighty blow.
Praising Nat Sciver-Brunt’s performance, Mithali said, “Nat Sciver-Brunt is having a fantastic season, both with the ball and the bat. This was her second fifty of the season, and she played with great assurance, displaying her signature shots. The moment she walks in, you can tell she is in top form.
“With the ball, she made an impact early, sharing the new-ball responsibilities with Shabnim Ismail and delivering a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Beth Mooney. That was a significant moment in the match, as Mooney has been a consistent performer at the top for Gujarat Giants.”
Highlighting MI’s collective team effort in their victory, Mithali added, “While Hayley Matthews didn’t have a big innings today, she did provide a solid start. Amelia Kerr also got off to a decent beginning. As the tournament progresses, by the third or fourth game, we can expect Mumbai Indians’ batting unit to fully hit its stride. However, as a captain, it is reassuring to see your in-form batter consistently contributing runs, which bodes well for the team moving forward.”
Former West Indies cricketer Stacy-Ann King analysed Gujarat Giants’ performance and said Ashleigh Gardner-led side needs to get a good start and a contribution from the middle order to put together a total they can defend.
“As we look back at tonight’s match and the way they went about things, I thought they were just a bit too aggressive too early, especially after losing the openers. So, it’s an opportunity now to have a look at where they went wrong, batting wise they need to look at those partnerships. They need to get a good start, the middle order needs to contribute, and I think that’s the big thing for them.
“They’ve got the bowling, they’ve had young players step up with ball in hand, but it’s just about the batting. They need to put together a proper total so that they can defend,” she said.
–IANS
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