Delhi Capitals triumphed in a clash of the top two in the Women’s Premier League after it breezed past Mumbai Indians with a nine-wicket win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.
Skipper Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma showed the 30,000-strong crowd why they are the best opening partnership in the league’s history. Chasing a paltry 124, the duo added 85 runs for the first wicket before Shafali (43 off 28 balls) holed out to Amelia Kerr at deep mid-wicket off Amanjot Kaur’s bowling in the 10th over. Given her entertaining six-hitting knock, her dismissal drewa disappointed shake of the head from Sourav Ganguly – DC’s Director of Cricket – in the dugout.
HIGHLIGHTS: DC VS MI AS IT HAPPENED
Lanning (60 not out off 49 balls) notched up her second half-century of the season to see the chase through in 14.3 overs with Jemimah Rodrigues (15 off 10 balls) supporting her from the other end.
Mumbai Indians came into this game with a cold record batting first, winning only four of the nine matches where it has set a target. This game only added to that dismal record.
While pace gave Capitals early breakthroughs, it was the spinners who had a field day on a slower-than-usual Bengaluru wicket.
Sutherland’s athleticism on the field helped Delhi Capitals put pressure on Mumbai Indians
| Photo Credit:
K Murali Kumar
Sutherland’s athleticism on the field helped Delhi Capitals put pressure on Mumbai Indians
| Photo Credit:
K Murali Kumar
Openers Yastika Bhatia (11 off 10 balls) and Hayley Matthews (22 off 25 balls) were removed on either side of the PowerPlay by Shikha Pandey and Annabel Sutherland respectively.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (22 off 16 balls) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (18 off 22 balls) looked dangerous after adding 38 runs for the third wicket between the seventh and 11th overs, but both were removed by Jess Jonassen (3/25).
Off-spinner Minnu Mani (3/17 in three overs) struck twice in the 17th over to remove statemate Sajeevan Sajana (five off eight balls) and send Kerr (17 off 18 balls) back to the hut, courtesy a stunning effort by Annabel Sutherland, who travelled 28 metres from long on to mid-wicket before diving to take the catch.
Amanjot’s 10-ball 17, which included a couple of innovative boundaries, provided for some relief in the death, but it was too little too late. MI’s third-lowest total in the WPL was always going to be tough to defend.