The Mumbai Indians finally got their season back on track on Tuesday (February 18), when they beat the Gujarat Giants by five wickets. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews led a strong bowling performance that made the chase easy.
Sciver-Brunt was great with both the bat and the ball. For more updates on cricket matches and sports betting, visit Bet Pro Exchange login. This is a summary of how the game went.
Gujarat Giants’ Batting Collapse
Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first on a fresh pitch. Nat Sciver-Brunt made an early impact, so their choice paid off almost right away.
Beth Mooney was out on the second ball of the innings. She had scored fifty in the previous game but was out for a cheap catch this time. With this early hit, the Giants set the stage for what would become a terrible PowerPlay.
Sciver-Brunt struck again in the PowerPlay, removing the dangerous Ash Gardner with a smart off-cutter. Meanwhile, Shabnim Ismail got rid of Laura Wolvaardt, who was caught at sweeper cover.
Hayley Matthews also joined the party, taking her first of three wickets when D Hemalatha went to a wild slog, caught by Amelia Kerr. By the end of the PowerPlay, Gujarat Giants were reeling at 28/4.
The poor shot selection continued even after the PowerPlay. Deandra Dottin charged at Amelia Kerr but was stumped after being beaten by the turn.
Kashvee Gautam provided a short spark with a quick 20 off 15 balls but was caught behind off Matthews. Simran Shaikh, the new hitter, survived a dropped catch but fell soon after, slog-sweeping straight to Kerr.
Harleen Deol, promoted to number five, tried to stabilize the innings with a steady 32 off 31 balls. Contributions from Sayali Satghare and Tanuja Kanwer, who scored 13 each, helped Gujarat Giants reach a modest total of 120 all out in 20 overs.
But they didn’t choose their shots well and lost steam, and they got 36 “dot balls” in the first half alone.
Mumbai Indians’ Bowling Shines
The Mumbai Indians’ bowlers were in top form, with Hayley Matthews leading the charge. She finished with impressive figures of 3-16, while Amelia Kerr and Nat Sciver-Brunt chipped in with two wickets each.
Gujarat Giants never got going because of the disciplined bowling, and their score of 120 was always going to be hard to protect.
Mumbai Indians’ Chase: Sciver-Brunt Steals the Show
Mumbai’s chase got off to a shaky start, but Nat Sciver-Brunt once again proved to be the rock. After a tight first over from Tanuja Kanwer, Hayley Matthews hit a couple of boundaries before falling to Kanwer’s spin.
The opening partner, Yastika Bhatia, was out by Priya Mishra and caught at long-on by Laura Wolvaardt.
Harmanpreet Kaur only stayed at the crease for a short time, but Sciver-Brunt found a steady partner in Amelia Kerr. The duo added 45 runs for the fourth wicket, taking Mumbai closer to the target.
Kerr started cautiously but soon took the attack to Mishra, hitting a six and a four in a 12-run over. Sciver-Brunt, meanwhile, raced to her second successive fifty of the season, hitting the milestone in just 33 balls.
Just as Mumbai reached 100 runs, Kashvee Gautam came back and bowled a smart ball that caught Kerr outside off stumps.
After Sciver-Brunt, who also fell soon after, but not before hitting three fours in Mishra’s over, Mumbai was almost safe. The lower order assured there were no further hiccups, and Mumbai Indians reached the target with 3.5 overs to spare.
Highlights of Work
Nat Sciver-Brunt: Sciver-Brunt was the best player in the game and did great with both bat and ball. During the PowerPlay, she took two important wickets and then scored 57 off 33 balls to win the game.
Hayley Matthews: Matthews was the pick of the bowlers, ending with 3-16. She also helped with the bat, hitting a couple of boundaries early in the chase.
Amelia Kerr: Kerr played a vital part with both bat and ball. She took two wickets and scored a handy 22 runs to support Sciver-Brunt in the chase.
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Final Thoughts
The Mumbai Indians’ all-around showing showed how deep and good they are. The bowlers set up the win with a disciplined effort, while Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round talent ensured a comfortable chase. For Gujarat Giants, the loss exposed their over-reliance on the top order and the need for better shot selection in the middle overs.
With this win, Mumbai Indians have finally opened their account in the tournament, while Gujarat Giants will need to regroup quickly to keep their campaign alive.
Short Scores:
- Gujarat Giants: 120 all out in 20 overs (Harleen Deol 32, Kashvee Gautam 20; Hayley Matthews 3-16, Amelia Kerr 2-22, Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-26)
- Mumbai Indians: 122/5 after 16.1 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 57; Kashvee Gautam 2-15; Priya Mishra 2-40)
- Result: Mumbai Indians won by 5 runs.