Leading by example in Women’s tournament as well, Mumbai Indians have won the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League after defeating Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets at the Brabourne Stadium tonight.
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Having gained a substantial advantage in the first innings itself, Indians were expected to win the match without much discomfort but it wasn’t to be as Capitals made a praiseworthy comeback into the match.
Reduced to 79/9 in 16 overs primarily due to Mumbai all-rounder Hayley Matthews’ bowling figures of 4-2-5-3, Delhi posted a competitive 131/9 in 20 overs as pacer Shikha Pandey (27*) and spinner Radha Yadav (27*) put together a fighting unbeaten 24-ball 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket.
In addition to Yadav, DC spinner Jess Jonassen also picked a wicket in the powerplay to put MI in some trouble. However, sense prevailed due to the presence of two senior players in all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt (60*) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (37) as the two joined hands to steer the team to a comparatively safer position.
Player of the Match today DC vs MI Final 2023
With 21 runs needed in the last two overs, Sciver-Brunt and all-rounder Amelia Kerr (14*) stood tall on their reputations as overseas players to eventually seal the run-chase with three balls left in the match.
Coming in to bat at No. 3 in second over, Sciver-Brunt hit seven fours to win the Player of the Match in the night of the final. Having leaked 37 runs in her four-over spell in the first innings, Sciver-Brunt doubtlessly made amends in the second innings.
“It was very special. Glad I was able to stick it out when the pressure was on. I was trying to get quite tough and Harman [Harmanpreet Kaur] and Melie [Amelia Kerr] took the pressure off me. I knew if I stayed till the end we’d get through. We gave away too many [runs] in the final 3-4 overs, but it made the game interesting,” Sciver-Brunt told host broadcaster Sports18 during the post-match presentation ceremony.
