Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants Highlights: MI seal playoff berth with big win over…

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians became the first team to qualify for the playoffs as they kept their unbeaten record intact with a comfortable 55-run victory over Gujarat Giants in their reverse fixture in the Women’s Premier League at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Riding on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur‘s 51 followed by a superb bowling performance, Mumbai again outplayed Gujarat in all departments to record fifth victory on the trot. Mumbai decimated Gujarat by 143 runs in the tournament opener on March 4.
Scorecard | As it happened
Mumbai did well to put on 162 runs on the board after they lost Nat Sciver-Brunt (36) and Yastika Bhatia (44) in quick succession. But Harmanpreet led Mumbai from the front with her 51-run stand with Amelia Kerr (19) to revive Mumbai Indians’ charge.
Sciver-Brunt also shone with the ball as she got rid of the dangerous Sophia Dunkley first ball that opened the floodgates and Gujarat never recovered as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Hayley Matthews got the ball to turn a lot and picked up three wickets as well. Kerr also chipped in with a couple of wickets to hand Mumbai an easy victory.

Gujarat Giants, who stuttered to a fourth loss in five matches and remained on the penultimate spot in the five-team points table, made 107/9 in 20 overs chasing 163 on a pitch that had something for all parties.
While each of Mumbai’s overseas bowlers were among wickets, India’s uncapped Saika Ishaque remained wicketless in her 4-0-20-0.
Mumbai Indians looked steady but not sure of a strong total at the halfway mark in their innings after being asked to bat first, having scored 64 for one in 10 overs.

However, captain Harmanpreet Kaur smashed a 30-ball 51 laced with seven fours and two sixes, her blitz powering Mumbai Indians to a challenging 162/8.
After a sedate first half, Mumbai Indians went the aggressive route to add 98 runs in the last 10 overs.
In the second half, Mumbai Indians made a terrific start with Sciver-Brunt striking on the first ball, trapping the in-form Sophie Dunkley, who had struck 65 in her last outing at this venue.
Sabbhineni Meghana showed initial promise with some cracking boundaries, but perished for 16 off Hayley Matthews in the sixth over after a brief 21-run stand with Harleen Deol.
Matthews struck again three balls later, removing Annabel Sutherland for a four-ball duck to leave Gujarat tottering at 34/3 at the end of the powerplay.
With that, Matthews (9) moved up to the second spot in the list of bowlers with the most wickets, surpassing Delhi Capitals’ Shikha Pandey (8) and Sophie Ecclestone (8) of the UP Warriorz.
Gujarat Giants not only struggled to get off the blocks but also lost wickets in heaps. After Isabelle Wong trapped Harleen Deol (22) leg-before before the first strategic break, Ashleigh Gardner (8) was dismissed right after resumption by Kerr, who also accounted for Dayalan Hemlatha (6).
Among the bright spots for Gujarat Giants was captain Sneh Rana’s spell of 4-0-17-1 and a 19-ball 20 which helped stem the fall of wickets for a short while.
Kaur lost her fourth toss on the trot in WPL as Gujarat Giants captain Sneh Rana elected to field while making two changes. Laura Wolvaardt and Georgia Wareham made way for Dunkley and Sutherland, whereas Mumbai Indians remained unchanged.
(With PTI Inputs)