WPL 2023: Nat Sciver Turns Hero as Mumbai Indians Win Inaugural Title
WPL 2023: Mumbai Indians won the first-ever season (wplt20.com)
Riding on a dominating performance with the ball, followed by Nat Sciver assuring unbeaten 60 takes Mumbai Indian Women to victory over Delhi Capitals Women in the Final of the Women's Premier League (WPL 2023). Harmanpreet Kaur and co made history by becoming the champions of the inaugural edition of WPL.
Shikha-Radha propel Delhi to 131
After electing to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a good start but lost too many wickets early in the powerplay. Shafali Verma opened her hands from the word go but Issy Wong, who has been in great form, sent Shafali back to the pavilion and went on to remove the dangerous Alice Capsey for duck in the very same over.
Jemimah was soon halted by Wong once again and Delhi were three down with only 38 on the board at the end of the powerplay. Lanning tried to stitch partnership for the fourth wicket with Marizanne Kapp at the other end.
Just when Delhi seemed to be back in control, they lost Kapp, which was followed by a catastrophic run-out, sending Lanning back in the pavilion. Delhi went on to lose four more wickets in quick succession, limiting them from 73 for 3 to 79 for 9.
It looked all over for Delhi but Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav showed an incredible fight, adding 52 for the last wicket in just 24 balls and took Delhi’s score over 130. Hayley Matthews was the pick of the bowlers for MI, who took three wickets in her four overs and gave away just 5 runs.
Sturdy Sciver won it for MI
Nat Sciver celebrates after MI beat DC in WPL Final (Source: Twitter)
Chasing 132, Mumbai Indians got off to a slow start as Delhi Capitals carried on their momentum from the good finish with the bat. Mumbai could only add 27 off the first six overs and lost two wickets as well. Lanning and co were in no mood to give anything away with the ball and in fielding point of view as well.
Mumbai further had 51 on the board at the halfway mark without losing any further wickets. Nat Sciver and Harmanpreet Kaur were in the middle and the duo were very watchful with their proceedings. However, they started to open their hands with the required rate touching nine and extracted a couple of big overs.
Just when MI were cruising towards an easy finish, they lost Harmanpreet to a run out and Delhi were back in the game. With 21 needed in the last two overs, MI extracted 16 runs off the 19th over, with Sciver completing her half century and Kerr hitting two back to back boundaries, leaving only five to get from the last six. Sciver finished it off with a boundary as Mumbai Indians became the champions of the inaugural WPL.
Brief Scores:
Delhi Capitals Women: 131/9 (20 Overs)
Meg Lanning 35 (29), Radha Yadav 27* (12);
Hayley Matthews 3/5 (4), Issy Wong 3/42 (4)
Mumbai Indians Women: 134/3 (19.3 Overs)
Nat Sciver 60* (55), Harmanpreet Kaur 37(39);
Radha Yadav 1/24, Jess Jonassen 1/28
Mumbai Indians Women won by 7 wickets.
 "Kaushik Kashyap")