WPL 2025: MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur delighted after reaching final
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, was thrilled with her team's performance in the 2025 Women's Premier League (WPL) Eliminator.
MI booked a place in their second WPL final after defeating Gujarat Giants by 47 runs at the Brabourne Stadium.
The win was largely set up by brilliant knocks from the blades of Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who both scored 77 runs.
Here's more.
Match highlights
MI's formidable performance
MI posted a daunting total of 213/4, courtesy of Matthews, Sciver-Brunt, and Kaur's contributions.
In reply, the Gujarat Giants were folded for 166 runs in 19.2 overs.
Matthews also starred with the ball, taking three wickets for 31 runs.
Post-match, Kaur lauded her team's performance and said that she was confident that they could defend any score.
"Feeling great, it was a great team effort, really happy with the way we played today," she stated at the post-game presentation.
Team spirit
Kaur praises her team's efforts
Kaur praised Matthews and Sciver-Brunt for their phenomenal performances, saying they are great players who know how to deal with such high-pressure games.
"Whatever happened, happened for good, and Hayley and Nat did a good job, setting it up for us. Really happy with how they took responsibility and batted for the team," she praised.
The MI captain also lauded her bowlers for their execution in the match, stressing these were the key areas they wanted to ace.
Matthews's reflections
Player of the Match
Matthews, who was named Player of the Match, shared her thoughts on the game.
"Think it was a really good game. you got a lot of value for your shots as a batter. We (Nat and me) worked hard to ease the pressure off of us," she stated.
Matthews stressed the importance of controlling one side of the field and adjusting her pace, key aspects they have been focusing on.
Preparation
MI's strategy for the final
Looking forward to the final against Delhi Capitals (DC), Matthews revealed her team's plan.
"They are a good team and a team that has gotten the better of us in the last two games. Come back, do our homework and then execute on the field," she stated.
Sciver-Brunt, the tournament's leading run-scorer, credited her success to sticking with her strengths and maintaining consistency in performance.
DC's outlook
Rodrigues optimistic about DC's chances
Delhi Capitals' vice-captain Jemimah Rodrigues is optimistic about her team's chances in the final, believing the gap between matches will be beneficial.
Despite not playing a league match at Brabourne Stadium, she remains confident, emphasizing that all players are familiar with the pitch and conditions.
She also lauded Shafali Verma for her phenomenal season and veteran pacer Shikha Pandey's immense contribution to DC's success.