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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Mumbai Indians turn battle of table-toppers into a one-sided affair with an 8-wicket win over DC
With skipper Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, the Delhi Capitals (DC) boast a dream opening pair. With the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey and Jess Jonassen to follow, it was no wonder to see how they had dominated the opposition with the bat.
The battle of table toppers, DC and Mumbai Indians (MI), the only two teams that were undefeated before the match, was supposed to be a thrilling encounter.
But DC were up against a bowling attack that had virtually bullied opposition into submission. And it was no different on Thursday, March 9, as it was brilliant MI bowling that dominated the show as they bowled out DC for 105 runs before registering an eight-wicket win.
Lanning trusted her winning formula of batting first after winning the toss. However, the two of the three main protagonists of the night – West Bengal’s left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque and England’s pacer Isabelle ‘Issy’ Eleanor Chih Ming Wong – along with Team India pacer Pooja Vastrakar struck big on the big night.
Ishaque, who lost precious time to injury, looked determined to make up for the lost time as she grabbed the opportunity that came her way with both hands. The left-arm spinner, growing in confidence with each passing match, gave MI the big break with the wicket of Verma, a hard-hitting batter.
Promoted up in the order, Capsey capitulated to Vastrakar before Wong picked up the key Kapp wicket. At 31 for three, DC were in uncharted territory.
Lanning and Rodrigues (25, 18b, 3×4) tried to rebuild the innings with a 50-run stand. But when Rodrigues fell trying to cut Ishaque, a shot even the Mumbaikar knew she should have played better, and Lanning, who played the lone ranger act with 41-ball 43 that saw five fours, fell four balls later, it was game over for DC.
Jonassen, who can play big shots and dole out faint hope, fell in the very first ball of the next ball – to the third protagonist of the day, Hayley Matthews – DC knew what they were staring at.
For MI, Ishaque, Vastrakar and Matthews picked three wickets each.
The 65-run opening stand between Yastika Bhatia (41, 32b, 8×4) and Matthews (32, 31b, 6×4) showcased that it was an application that DC were lacking as MI knocked off the runs in 15 overs, losing two wickets, to maintain their unbeaten run in the tournament.
BRIEF SCORE: Delhi Capitals 105 (Meg Lanning 43, Jemimah Rodrigues 25, Radha Yadav 10; Issy Wong 3/10, Saika Ishaque 3/13, Hayley Matthews 3/19) lost to Mumbai Indians 109/2 (Yastika Bhatia 41, Hayley Matthews 32, Natalie Sciver-Brunt 23*; Tara Norris 1/4, Alice Capsey 1/14) by eight wickets
