Lucknow/Patiala, 07 March (Sports Desk)
In a commanding display of skill and strategy, Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated UP Warriorz (UPW) by 6 wickets in Match 16 of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 on March 6, 2025, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This victory propelled MI to second place in the standings with 8 points, keeping their playoff hopes alive, while UPW’s third consecutive loss pushed them to the brink of elimination.
Match Details
- Date: March 6, 2025
- Venue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Toss: Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first
- Result: Mumbai Indians won by 6 wickets
- Player of the Match: Hayley Matthews (68 off 46 balls)
Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians
- Yastika Bhatia (wk)
- Hayley Matthews
- Nat Sciver-Brunt
- Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
- Amelia Kerr
- Amanjot Kaur
- Sajeevan Sajana
- Shabnim Ismail
- Parunika Sisodia
- Sanskriti Gupta
- Jintimani Kalita
UP Warriorz
- Grace Harris
- Kiran Navgire
- Georgia Voll
- Vrinda Dinesh
- Deepti Sharma (c)
- Shweta Sehrawat
- Uma Chetry (wk)
- Chinelle Henry
- Sophie Ecclestone
- Gouher Sultana
- Kranti Goud
Match Summary
UP Warriorz Innings: 150/9 in 20 Overs
Mumbai Indians’ decision to bowl first paid off as their disciplined attack restricted UP Warriorz to a below-par 150/9. UPW got off to a blazing start, racing to 74/1 in the first 8 overs, thanks to a fiery opening stand between Grace Harris (28 off 19) and Georgia Voll (55 off 33). Voll, in only her second WPL match, notched her maiden fifty, smashing 9 fours with crisp drives and cuts, while Harris provided early fireworks with 4 fours and a six.
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The tide turned dramatically in the middle overs. Amelia Kerr (5/38) triggered a collapse, removing Harris in the 8th over, caught at mid-off, and then dismantling the middle order. From 74/1, UPW slumped to 125/7 by the 17th over, losing 6 wickets for 51 runs. Kerr’s leg-spin bamboozled UPW, with key scalps including Voll (bowled attempting a lofted shot) and Shweta Sehrawat (5). Hayley Matthews (2/25) complemented Kerr, dismissing Kiran Navgire (0) and Vrinda Dinesh (4) cheaply.
A late cameo from Sophie Ecclestone (16 off 8, including a four off Kerr) and Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 27 off 25 lifted UPW to 150/9. However, MI’s spinners—Kerr, Matthews, and Parunika Sisodia (1/21)—dominated, bowling 128 dot balls and exploiting a slowing pitch.
Mumbai Indians Chase: 153/4 in 18.3 Overs
Chasing 151, MI stumbled early when Amelia Kerr (8 off 6) fell to Chinelle Henry in the first over, mis-hitting a lofted shot to mid-wicket. However, Hayley Matthews (68 off 46) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (37 off 32) steadied the innings with a match-defining 92-run partnership. Matthews, named Player of the Match, was at her fluent best, smashing 11 fours and a six, including a 16-run over off Gouher Sultana in the powerplay. Sciver-Brunt played the anchor role, piercing gaps with precision.
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UPW fought back briefly, with Grace Harris (2/11) dismissing Sciver-Brunt (caught at cover) and Harmanpreet Kaur (8 off 11, caught at short third) in quick succession, leaving MI at 127/4 in the 17th over. With 24 needed off the last 18 balls, Yastika Bhatia (23* off 24) and Amanjot Kaur (8* off 8) sealed the chase. Bhatia’s boundary through covers off Deepti Sharma in the 18.3rd over sparked celebrations, finishing the game with 9 balls to spare.
Key Performances
- Hayley Matthews (MI): 68 off 46 balls (11 fours, 1 six) – A match-winning knock; also took 2/25.
- Amelia Kerr (MI): 5/38 – Her maiden WPL five-wicket haul turned the game.
- Georgia Voll (UPW): 55 off 33 balls (9 fours) – A lone bright spot in UPW’s batting.
- Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI): 37 off 32 balls – Stabilized the chase.
- Grace Harris (UPW): 28 off 19 balls & 2/11 – Fought hard but couldn’t turn the tide.
Match Highlights
- UPW’s Explosive Start: Voll and Harris’ 74-run powerplay stand was the highest of WPL 2025 at that point.
- Kerr’s Fifer: Amelia Kerr’s 5 wickets, including a triple strike in the 14th over, triggered UPW’s collapse from 74/1 to 90/4.
- Matthews-Sciver Stand: A 92-run partnership in 11 overs swung the chase MI’s way.
- Late Drama: Harris’ double strike in the 17th over raised UPW’s hopes, but MI held firm.
