UP Warriorz. (Photo Source: Twitter/WPL)
The exhilarating action continued in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League as UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians were against each other in Match 15 of the tournament on March 18 at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
Warriorz’s captain Alyssa Healy won the toss and invited the star-studded batting line-up of Mumbai to bat first. Mumbai didn’t get off to the best of the starts as opener Yastika Bhatia was seen struggling in the powerplay. Her struggling innings of 7(15) was ended by Anjali Sarvani who cleaned her up as Mumbai lost their first wicket on 30 after 4.5 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt walked in next and was dismissed cheaply by Sophie Ecclestone who trapped her in front of the stumps. Ecclestone further got the prized scalp of Hayley Matthews who was looking to get a move on in her innings but got dismissed on 35 off 30.
With Mumbai on 57/3 after 10.4 overs, captain Harmanpreet Kaur tried to take the innings forward but couldn’t score beyond 25 off 22 only to get dismissed by Deepti Sharma.
UP spinners gained full control of the match as Mumbai kept on losing wickets regularly. A brilliant cameo of 32 off 19 balls by Issy Wong took Mumbai to 127/10 in their allotted 20 overs. Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers for UP as she picked 3/15 in four overs while Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Deepti Sharma picked up two wickets each.
Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris bailed UP out of trouble in the run chase
In reply, UP got off to a miserable start as they lost opener Devika Vaidya in the second over itself. They further lost crucial wickets of Alyssa Healy and Kiran Navgire in the fifth and sixth over respectively and were reeling at 27/3 after 6.1 overs.
Seeing their side in trouble, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris got involved in a 44-run stand off 34 balls. Mumbai made a comeback into the game as Amelia Kerr dismissed McGrath for 38 off 25 in the 12th over.
Harris continued her knock from the other end and added 34 runs for the fifth wicket off 23 balls with Deepti Sharma. Harris was also dismissed for 39 off 28 balls with UP needing 23 off 26 balls. Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma held their nerve and took their side home with their unbeaten 24-run stand and sealed a win for UP by five wickets. It was Mumbai’s first defeat of WPL 2023.
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