Mumbai Indians cuts Giants to dimension

Mumbai Indians’s Hayley Matthews in motion in the course of the WPL Eliminator Match between Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants held at CCI Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Photograph: EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

When Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt are within the temper for sophisticated ball-striking, there’s seemingly little that opponents can do past watching and quietly admiring sheer mastery unfold in entrance of their eyes. Gujarat Giants was largely left to do exactly that within the Eliminator of the Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) at Brabourne Stadium on Thursday.

Matthews and Sciver-Brunt smashed 77 every to assist MI attain 213 for 4 — its highest WPL complete. For the second time this season, the truth is, they solid a 133-run second-wicket partnership. Harmanpreet Kaur additionally performed her half with a cameo of 36 at a strike charge of 300. With GG skittled out for 166, MI superior to Saturday’s last in opposition to Delhi Capitals.

It didn’t appear like MI would get to such a frightening complete when it was 37 for one in six overs. Matthews was sedate in the beginning, and even had a slice of fortune on 5 when an edge was spilled by Beth Mooney in Ashleigh Gardner’s opening over. It was the primary of many catches that GG dropped on the night time.

As soon as the sphere unfold out, Sciver-Brunt and Matthews started belting a plethora of boundaries. Matthews discovered her fluency in opposition to Priya Mishra, welcoming the leg-spinner within the eighth over with three consecutive fours. It helped that Priya dished out a rank long-hop and a juicy full toss.

Having ambled to 17 off 22 deliveries after the primary seven overs, Matthews nonetheless reached her fifty off simply 36 deliveries. The landmark was achieved in type, pulling Tanuja Kanwer for a most.

Sciver-Brunt was at her belligerent greatest on the different finish. Her half-century, off 29 balls, got here through a flat-batted six over deep midwicket. It additionally introduced up the 100-run stand.

For GG to seek out the goal, it wanted its in-form batters to not put a foot improper. That wasn’t the case. Mooney drove Shabnim Ismail to slide within the very first over whereas Harleen Deol was run out within the fifth over. Gardner did smoke Matthews out of the park off her second ball, however was cleaned up by the offie in the identical over.

The scores: Mumbai Indians 213/4 in 20 overs (Matthews 77, Sciver-Brunt 77, Harmanpreet 36, Danielle Gibson 2/40) bt Gujarat Giants 166 in 19.2 overs (Gibson 34, Phoebe Litchfield 31, Bharti Fulmali 30, Matthews 3/31, Amelia Kerr 2/28); Toss: GG.

Last (Saturday): Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, 7.30 p.m.