Mumbai Indians defeat Delhi Capitals in WPL 2024 opener: Stats
Defending champions Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by four wickets in the opening fixture of the 2024 Women's Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. MI chased down 172 with a last-ball six from Sajana Sajeevan as they maintained their unbeaten record in the WPL while chasing targets. It was a dream start for MIW. Here are the key stats.
Delhi Capitals posted a decent total
Delhi Capitals started slowly by scoring 26/1 in their first six overs. However, Alice Capsey and Meg Lanning added 64 runs before the former stitched a 74-run partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues. Fifties from Capsey and Rodrigues, and a cameo from Lanning helped Delhi Capitals post a total of 171/5. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr starred for MI with two wickets each.
Mumbai Indians produced a brilliant chase
Mumbai Indians lost Hayley Matthews in the very first over of the innings, but a 50-run stand between Yastika Bhatia and Sciver-Brunt, followed by another Yastika-Harmanpreet stand, powered them. Both Yastika and Harmanpreet slammed fifties as Sajana Sajeevan powered MI over the line with a last-ball six. Arundhati Reddy and Capsey returned with figures of 2/27 (four overs) and 2/23 respectively.
Delhi Capitals had a sluggish start
Delhi Capitals could only score 26 runs in the powerplay overs. Unable to get going, Shafali Verma was knocked over by Shabnim Ismail in the third over. Following Shafali's dismissal, Lanning and Capsey consolidated and though they didn't score many runs, they also didn't lose wickets. Eventually, both players got their eye in and started playing their strokes with ease.
A 53-ball 75 from Capsey
Capsey played a sensational knock of 75 runs in only 53 balls, smashing eight boundaries and three maximums. She shared two fifty-plus stands with Lanning and Rodrigues, guiding the Capitals beyond the 140-run mark. The youngster was dismissed by Amelia Kerr in the 18th over. Notably, this was Capsey's maiden WPL fifty. She owns 234 runs from nine WPL matches.
Highest score by an English cricketer in WPL
Capsey's 75-run knock is the highest individual score by an English cricketer in the WPL. She has surpassed Sciver-Brunt's 72* from last season against the UP Warriorz. As per Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay, Capsey's 75 was also the third-highest individual score for DC in the WPL. Hers is behind Shafali's 84 against RCB and 76*versus Gujarat Giants. She also scored the highest individual score against MIW.
A brilliant hand from Jemimah Rodrigues
Rodrigues was at her dominant best as she hammered a 24-ball 42, courtesy of two sixes and five boundaries. She was involved in a 74-run partnership with Capsey, which turned the game for the Capitals, as both batters were looking to score quickly. She was dismissed in the 19th over by Sciver-Brunt. Rodrigues owns 168 runs in 10 WPL matches.
Sciver-Brunt and Kerr picked up two wickets each
Most of the MIW bowlers were taken to the cleaners. Ismail and Sciver-Brunt stood out for the defending champions. While the SA speedster returned with a single wicket, she gave away 24 runs in four overs. Sciver-Brunt finished with 2/33, while Kerr also picked up two wickets but went for 43 runs. Saika Ishaque went wicketless but gave away only 17 runs (three overs).
Maiden WPL fifty for Yastika Bhatia
MI lost Mathews early on but Yastika kept going as she slammed her maiden WPL fifty. She added a 50-run stand with Sciver-Brunt before adding 56 runs with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. Yastika's 57-run knock was studded with eight boundaries and two maximums. She was dismissed by Reddy in the 14th over. She now owns 271 runs from 11 WPL encounters.
A captain's knock from Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet batted brilliantly as she was involved in two crucial partnerships with Yastika and Kerr. The dasher hammered a sensational 34-ball 55 and almost got MI over the line. This was her fourth WPL fifty and first of the new season. She has now amassed 336 runs from 11 WPL matches while maintaining a strike rate of over 135.
Do you know?
Yastika is the first-ever left-handed batter to slam a fifty in the WPL history. She also became the first Indian to hammer a fifty-plus score in WPL 2024.
Third batter to hit a last-ball six in IPL/WPL match
As per Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay, Sajana became the first batter in the WPL to slam a six when five runs were required off the last ball. However, Dwayne Bravo versus KKR in 2012 and KS Bharat against Delhi Capitals have achieved this feat in the IPL.
