24 March,2023 10:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Women`s Premier League (Pic Courtesy: wplt20.com)
Harmanpreet Kaur's brute power will meet its match in Alyssa Healy's languid elegance when a resilient Mumbai Indians square off against flamboyant UP Warriorz side in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 Eliminator at the DY Patil Stadium on March 24. Kaur and Co. were off the blocks at such a fiery pace that it seemed none could come close to challenging them. But two defeats in the last three matches saw them losing a direct qualification spot for the grand finale. Furthermore, it laid bare the gaps in Mumbai's Playing XI, much to the dismay of their talismanic captain.
The likes of Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr have been exceptional in all departments of the game and will look to sustain their red-hot form and seal a spot in the final. The UP Warriorz will ride on their magnificent bowling display and will rely on Tahlia McGrath and Alyssa Healy to step up with the bat.
As things stand at the moment, Mumbai have been asked to bat first by UP, as the latter have introduced three changes in their playing XI while Mumbai remain unchanged. Delhi Capitals, who topped the league stage, have already qualified for the final.
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Wicketkeeper: Alyssa Healy
All-rounder: Hayley Matthews
Batswoman: Harmanpreet Kaur
Bowler: Sophie Eccleston
Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Chloe Tryon, Heather Graham, Dhara Gujjar, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala
UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy(w/c), Shweta Sehrawat, Simran Shaikh, Tahlia McGrath, Kiran Navgire, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Parshavi Chopra, Soppadhandi Yashasri, Shabnim Ismail, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Grace Harris, Devika Vaidya, Lauren Bell, Shivali Shinde, Laxmi Yadav
Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Melie Kerr, Issy Wong/Chloe Tryon, Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque
UP Warriorz: Devika Vaidya, Alyssa Healy (C & wk), Kiran Navgire, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Simran Shaikh, Parshavi Chopra, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
UP Warriorz captain Alyssa Healy wins toss, opts to bowl against Mumbai Indians in WPL Eliminator.
Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Melie Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque
UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy(w/c), Shweta Sehrawat, Simran Shaikh, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Parshavi Chopra, Soppadhandi Yashasri
Follow MI-W vs UP-W live updates below.
10:40 PM: Mumbai Indians beat UP Warriorz in an all-important Eliminator to sail into maiden WPL final.
10:25 PM: 104/8 after 16 overs
Deepti Sharma is caught by Jintimani Kalita off Matthews. Matthews deliberately slowed down the ball, forcing Sharma to reach for the sweep shot, resulting in a top-edge that lands short of Kalita at short fine-leg.
10:20 PM: 96/8 after 15 overs
Wong secures a hat-trick after bowling out Ecclestone with a full delivery outside off. Ecclestone tries to drive the ball, but it hits the inside edge of her bat and drags back onto the stumps. Ecclestone was out for a golden duck. Her wicket is followed by Simran Shaikh who is also bowled out by Wong with a cross-seam yorker on leg-stump. Shaikh tried to clear her front leg for a drive but missed the ball, and the leg-stump was hit.
10:00 PM: 84/6 in 12.3 overs
Is that all over for Warriorz? Kiran Navgire, the only glimmer of hope tonight for UP, is dismissed by Wong. Navgire departs for 43(27) as Nat Sciver takes the catch off Wong. Navgire attempted a full shot and is caught out by Nat Sciver-Brunt at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of Wong. Despite Navgire's valiant effort, the English all-rounder's catch was too good. Wong and Sciver-Brunt celebrate the wicket with a roar and a fist pump.
9:50 PM: 58/4 after 8 overs
Grace Harris walks off in what was a soft dismissal. The delivery was a length delivery on the stumps, possibly another off-pace delivery, and Harris flicked the ball towards long-on, where the fielder was stationary. Had Harris hit the ball with more power, she would have easily cleared the fielder, but that was no the case. Wong takes an easy catch.
9:35 PM: 46/3 after 6 overs
Healy is caught by Kaur off Wong's bowling, the delivery was full and aimed at the middle stump, with a hint of outswing, and Healy had decided to flick the ball through mid-wicket. However, the swing caused a thick leading-edge, resulting in a comfortable catch for Kaur at mid-off. Harris and Navgire attempt to steady the ship after the entire top order is back in the pavillion.
9:20 PM: 14/2 after 2 overs
What! Not a start Warriorz was hoping tonight. Two openers, Shweta and Healy, both depart under two overs. Mumbai's Issy Wong and Saika Ishaque piling pressure on to new batters Navgire and McGrath now.
8:55 PM: 182/4 after 20 overs
New batswoman Pooja Vastrakar goes for big shots. Sciver-Brunt finishes the innings with a magnificent six over the boundary rope, as Deepti Sharma looks on in wonder.
8:40 PM: 151/4 after 18 overs
The dangerous Nat Sciver-Brunt steps up yet again, in a crucial time. Smashes a quick-fire fifty in just 26 balls. Ecclestone is handed the ball again in the 19th over. Concedes three successive boundaries in the over, there is no stopping Brunt tonight. Strikes at a right time, dismissing Amelia Kerr. The Kerr-Brunt partnership could have been fatal in the last over.
8:20 PM: 112/3 after 11 overs
Sophie Ecclestone works her magic beautifully and dismisses skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. It was around this stage of the innings that Kaur drew the match away from UP in their first meeting. As the leading wicket-taker, Ecclestone continues to impress. Kaur attempted to advance down the track, but Ecclestone anticipated her move very well and delivered a full delivery. Kaur missed it and struck the stumps.
8:10 PM: 82/2 after 11 overs
The big-hitter Matthews tries to pull a short ball aiming at the stumps but fails to execute enough power behind to clear it for a boundary. Kiran Navgire takes a comfortable catch around her head at long-on. Parshavi Chopra provides another crucial breakthrough to UP.
8:00 PM: 62/1 after 8 overs
New batter Brunt announces herself with a magnificent boundary towards the long leg boundary. Meanwhile, Matthews takes control of the ship from the other end and smashes the ball for another four runs to sweeper cover. Just on the last ball of the powerplay, Ecclestone drops Sciver-Brunt, now it remains to be seen what impact this will have on the game. Meanwhile, Ecclestone is given the ball for the seventh over, but ends up conceding a boundary. Sarvani fails to stop the ball from racing away to the boundary rope.
7:50 PM: 46/1 after 6 overs
Bhatia's infectious dose of power-hitting comes to an end. Mistimes her shot to mid-on, and Kiran Navgire makes no mistake. A rather poor shot selection from Yastika, but an early breakthrough for UPW.
7:40 PM: 30/0 after 4 overs
Yastika Bhatia gets off to a flying start in the Eliminator as she sends the first ball to the boundary. She keeps hitting the ball out of the park, powerplay put on fire! It's a fantastic beginning for the opener.
7:30 PM: Match begins!
Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia walk in to kickstart proceedings for Mumbai in the all-important WPL Eliminator.
