Mumbai Indian batter Natalie Sciver Brunt plays a shot during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024, against UP Warriorz in New Delhi on March 7, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Mumbai Indians overcame early jitters to post a decent 160/6 against UP Warriorz in a Women’s Premier League match in New Delhi on March 7.
While Nat Sciver-Brunt (45 off 31) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (33 off 30) added 59 off 46 balls for the third wicket to steady MI’s ship, the innings got impetus due to Amelia Kerr (39 not out off 23 balls) and rising star Sajeevan Sajana (22 not out off 14 balls) adding 43 in 4.2 overs towards the end.
MI did not have the best of starts after opting to bat as they lost both the openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Mathews inside the fourth over.
Both the batters were dismissed by Chamari Athapaththu as they looked to go big against the Sri Lankan off-spinner.
While Sciver-Brunt played her shots during her aggressive knock, which was laced with eight hits to the fence, Harmanpreet preferred to play the role of an anchor.
But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Sciver-Brunt was cleaned by left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, a bowler who was punished by the batter in her first couple of overs.
Sciver-Brunt was deceived by quicker delivery, which pitched on fuller length and kept a tad low.
Harmanpreet then took the onus of upping the ante in company of Kerr, who used the long handle to good effect.
The MI skipper first swept Gayakwad to deep mid-wicket and three balls later got down on her knee to hit her for a maximum.
UP skipper Alyssa Healy made a terrific bowling change bringing in Saima Thakor in the 15th over and the medium pacer went through Harmanpreet’s defence with opening delivery.
Harmanpreet’s innings had three fours and one six.
Amanjot Kaur then spooned a Deepti Sharma delivery to Thakur to make matters worse for the Mumbai Indians side.