A final-ball six by debutante Sanjeevan Sajana after Yastika Bhatia (57) and Harmanpreet Kaur (55) struck breezy half-centuries to assist Mumbai Indians defeat Delhi Capitals by 4 wickets in a final over thriller within the opening match of Season 2 of the Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right here on Friday.
After Bollywood stars led by celebrity Shah Rukh Khan lit up the night time within the inaugural ceremony, Alice Capsey hammered a 53-ball 75 and together with Meg Lanning (31) and Jemimah Rodrigues (42) helped Delhi Capitals attain 171/5 in 20 overs after they had been requested to bat first by the defending champions.
See-saw battle between each side
The match ebbed and flowed from one aspect to a different, Mumbai Indians from a robust place reached the ultimate over needing 12 runs from six balls. Alice Capsey, who had excelled with the bat, struck with the primary ball of the final over to ship again Pooja Vastrakar (1). Amanjot Kaur took two runs after Shafali Verma made a positive save after which ran a single. With 9 wanted off three balls, Harmanpreet struck a boundary.
However with 5 wanted off two balls, the group was surprised as Harmanpreet was out as Annabel Sutherland caught a skier off a mighty heave main Mumbai Indians needing 5 off the final ball with first-timer Sajana on the crease. The Indian teenager hammered Capsey for a first-ball six off a supply within the slot at center and leg to seal victory.
Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet shine for MI
Earlier, Yastika Bhatia stored Mumbai Indians alive after Hayley Matthews was out for a two-ball duck. She and Nat Sciver-Brunt raised fifty runs for the second wicket off 33 balls earlier than Yastika accomplished her half-century off 35 balls, studded with seven boundaries and two sixes. After Sciver-Brunt was out for 19, Yastika and Harmanpreet Kaur raised 56 runs for the third wicket.
Harmanpreet, who accomplished her half-century off 32 balls, hitting six fours and one six, stored the innings going, including 44 runs for the fourth wicket with Amelia Kerr (24) as Mumbai Indians stored themselves on target. Nevertheless, Amelia Kerr and Pooja Vastrakar acquired out as issues progressed earlier than the last-minute drama ensured.
Delhi Capitals’ battle
Earlier, Delhi Capitals recovered from the early departure of opener Shafali Verma to put up a difficult whole because of a 53-ball 75 by English all-rounder Alice Capsey and her two half-century partnerships with skipper Meg Lanning (31) and Jemimah Rodrigues (42). After rookie pacer Shabnim Ismail made the breakthrough by castling Shafali Verma (1) within the third over, Lanning and Capsey, who’re in any other case archrivals representing Australia and England, got here collectively to revive the innings.
Lanning and Capsey raised 64 runs for the second wicket in round eight overs, taking the rating to 67 earlier than the Australian opener was out, caught by Sajeevan Sajana off England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was the perfect bowler on the day with 2-33. In her 25-ball 31, Lanning struck three boundaries and one most.
Capsey then added breezy 74 runs for the third wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues, taking the rating to 141 runs within the 18th over. Capsey who was the subsequent to get out, accomplished her half-century off 36 balls, hitting six boundaries and two sixes.
Capsey, who began with back-to-back boundaries off Nat Sciver-Brunt within the fourth over, hammered Hayley Matthews for 2 sixes within the twelfth over, selecting her off the leg stump and adopted it up with one over broad long-on for an 85m six. The following ball, she threatened it by way of the hole between level and backward level for an excellent boundary to achieve fifty.
Capsey was dropped by Sajana at backward level off Shabnim Ismail earlier than she ultimately fell to Amelia Kerr, trapped leg earlier than by a straight one. Jemimah continued to pile the runs, reaching 42 off 24 deliveries, hitting 5 boundaries and two maximums as Delhi Capitals posted 171/5 in 20 overs.
Transient scores:
Delhi Capitals 171/5 in 20 overs (Alice Capsey 75, Jemimah Rodrigues 42, Meg Lanning 31; Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-33, Amelia Kerr 2-43) misplaced to Mumbai Indians 173/6 in 20 overs (Yastika Bhatia 57, Harmanpreet Kaur 55, Amelia Kerr 24; Arundhati Reddy 2-27, Alice Capsey 2-23) by 4 wickets.