Mumbai Indians became the first team to qualify for playoffs of WPL
Mumbai Indians won by 55 runs over Gujarat Giants.
On Tuesday, like it has been all tournament, Harmanpreet was there for her team when they needed her. Mumbai had just lost Yastika Bhatia to a run out after a mix-up with her captain. At 84 for 3 in the 13th over, Mumbai needed an injection of momentum.
And that’s exactly what Harmanpreet’s knock did. Even if it wasn’t quite the showstopper, it had enough punch to help deliver a fifth straight win that has guaranteed Mumbai a playoff berth. They’re the only unbeaten team even as the competition has veered past the halfway mark.
Harmanpreet was very important in ensuring they built on the solid foundation that Yastika and Nat Sciver-Brunt had set up with their 74-run stand after Hayley Matthews was out for a duck in the first over after Gujarat Giants chose to field first.
So far in WPL 2023, Harmanpreet Kaur has scored three half-centuries and is leading the team from the front.
Harmanpreet raised a 29-ball half-century in the final over of the innings. It was her second straight fifty-plus score and third overall in the season.
It helped Mumbai get 162 runs, which looked like 200 on a surface where their spinners did their best work.
Amelia Kerr, who had a lot of googlies and flippers, and Matthews, who used angles and drift in a smart way, made a mess of things. Between them, they took 4 wickets and 38 runs, which sent the Giants reeling to 57 for 6 in the 12th over. From there on, there was no way back for the Giants.
By winning, Mumbai was also the first team in the WPL to defend a score of less than 200.
Mumbai and Royal Challengers Bangalore both celebrated. Royal Challengers Bangalore can still make it if all the stars align, which means they have to win their last three games.
