Hayley Matthews Continues All-Round Juggernaut As MI Annihilates Unbeaten Capitals
Wong celebrates her third wicket against Capitals (Twitter/BCCI)
Mumbai Indians routed through the Delhi Capitals in match number seven to register their third successive win of the WPL 2023 season. Star import Hayley Matthews once again displayed her all-round dexterity on the field, as she dismantled the Capitals with a three-fer before wiping 32 runs off her team’s task in the run-chase.
Ishaque, Wong and Matthews floor Capitals with three-fers
The only unbeaten sides of the tournament, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, clashed in match number seven at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai.
After Capitals skipper Meg Lanning won the toss and opted to bat first, she lost her in-form opening partner Shafali Verma within the second over of the match. Overseas all-rounders Alice Capsey and Marizanne Kapp also departed back to the pavilion cheaply courtesy of Saika Ishaque’s new-ball brilliance.
Lanning top-scored in the innings with a near run-a-ball 43 and formed a 50-run stand with Jemimah Rodrigues, who crafted an attacking 25. Just when the Capitals regained some stability to their innings at 81-3, they lost wickets in a heap thereafter and were eventually dusted out for just 105.
Ishaque snared three wickets, including that of both Capitals openers, and was ably assisted by Issy Wong and Hayley Matthews. The West Indies’ star herself claimed three victims to register her second successive three-wicket haul this WPL 2023 season.
Matthews, Bhatia complete demolition job in run-chase
Mumbai Indians openers Yastika Bhatia and Matthews knocked out 65 runs of their side’s task within the first nine overs of the innings. Bhatia led Indians’ response with 41 while the latter of the two contributed a run-a-ball 32 from her end of the crease.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten till the finishing line while English all-rounder Nat Sciver delivered the knockout punch in the 15th over with back-to-back boundaries off wicketless Jess Jonassen.
For the Capitals, only Alice Capsey and Tara Norris partially disturbed the Mumbai Indians’ dominant run-chase crusade with a wicket each.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals: 105 (18)
Meg Lanning 43 (41), Jemimah Rodrigues 25 (18)
Issy Wong 3-10, Saika Ishaque 3-13
Mumbai Indians: 109/2 (15)
Yastika Bhatia 41 (32), Hayley Matthews 32 (31)
Alice Capsey 1-14, Tara Norris 1-4
Mumbai Indians won by eight wickets
 "Aakash Saini")
