WPL 2024, MI vs DC HIGHLIGHTS: Debutant Sajeevan Sajana's Last-Ball Six Helps Mumbai Beat Delhi In Last-Ball Thriller
WPL 2024, MI vs DC HIGHLIGHTS: The match went down to the wire as Mumbai beat Delhi by 4 wickets in a last-ball finish.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's fifty anchored the chase, and Sajeevan Sajana's last-ball six propelled Mumbai Indians to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in their Women's Premier League (WPL) encounter in Bengaluru on February 23 (Friday). In pursuit of 172, Mumbai Indians fought resiliently, and with five runs needed off the final delivery, Sajana's six off Alice Capsey secured the defending champions' victory in the WPL 2024 opener. Harmanpreet contributed with 55 runs, while wicketkeeper-batswoman Yastika Bhatia showcased her skills with eight fours and two sixes, contributing 57 runs off 45 balls. In the first innings, Delhi Capitals posted 171 for 5, with England's Capsey leading the charge with an impressive 75-run knock.
4-Wicket Win for MI. And what a thrilling fixture which is why WPL is the tournament that it is. Last-ball finish to get the tournament underway in Bengaluru.
Debutant Sajana with a first-ball six that seals the finish for MI. What a match! What a finish. This is the WPL 2024!
Is that the match then for DC as Kaur gets dismissed trying to go for the big shot in the second last ball of the match.
 FOURRR With 9 Needed Off 3! Woww Harmanpreet kaur. Take a bow. The job's not done yet. They need 5 off 2 now.
Vastrakar Departs first ball off the 20th over. Edge of the seat stuff here in Bengaluru. 12 off 5 balls now. Amanjot Kaur new batter.
What a shot under pressure from Kaur. That six means MI now need 12 off 6 balls. This is a cricket match or what? Sutherland had only conceded 4 before this ball. MI- 160/4 after 19 overs.
Pooja Vastrakar Joins Harmanpreet. Wow, this game is nearing its climax and what a thriller this is turning out to be.
Off the last ball of the over and her spell. It's a yorker on middle and leg and it's proved to be too good for Amelia Kerr who departs for 24 off 18. MI-150/4 after 18 overs.
This gets even better for MI as Kaur scores another boundary to end the over. 13 runs off the 17th over. MI- 142/3. They need 30 runs from 18 balls.
Wow, this is a clinical chase from MI so far. They are somehow managing to find the boundary in almost every over. Kerr again off the fourth ball of the over. Comes down the track and lifts straight over the bowler's head for a boundary.Â
It's Reddy who will bowl her final over now as DC look to break this stand.Â
Kapp To finish off here in Bengaluru. Concedes 9 off her final over with Kerr finding the boundary in the over. MI- 129/3 after 16 overs.
Harmanpreet's Good To Go. 2 singles off the last 2 balls of the over. MI- 120/3 after 15 overs. They 52 runs from 30 balls.
Harmanpreet Kaur In Discomfort. Probably a hamstring issue. Receiving some medical attention. MI fans would hope this is not as serious as it is looking right now. Strategic time out has been called! MI- 118/3 after 14.4 overs.
Back-To-Back FOURS! Harmanpreet Kaur's on fire. She is pretty much back in form. That dropped catch might come back to haunt Delhi. First through the covers, then through the square leg region. Sutherlannd under pressure.
Amelia Kerr has joined Kaur in the middle. After the end of 14 overs, MI- 108/3.
Reddy Strikes Again! And it's the big wicket of Bhatia who was looking in sublime nick. Short ball aoutside off and even though Bhatia went for the shot, she did not find the precise elevation and is out caught in the deep by Kapp. She falls for 57 off 45. MI- 106/3 after 13.2 Overs.
Another no- ball and this time it's Reddy who hasn't managed to grip that ball at all and it doens't even land on the pitch which is why it's been called a no-ball.
Half-Century Of The Patnership between Bhatia and Kaur with that boundary. Meanwhile, another over has slipped by. MI past 100. They are 105/2 after 13 overs. Mumbai need 67 runs from 42 deliveries.
Radha Will Continue. Kaur finds the fence off the third ball. Pure class from Harmanpreet as she manages to find the gap between long on and deep midwicket to find the boundary,.
 Change Of Ends For Sutherland. Boundary to end what had been otherwise a neat over. Boundary off the bat of Bhatia makes it 7 off it. MI- 97/2 after 12 overs.
11 overs have been bowled. MI- 90/2. They need 82 runs from 54 balls. 10 coming off the 11th over.
Fifty for Bhatia! Gets there with a six off Yadav which has just about cleared the fence. Long on seemed interested but it just about cleared the fielder. 35-ball fifty for Bhatia. MI are pretty solid in this chase, thanks to her innings.
 Radha Yadav With The Ball For The First Time this season. She starts with a no-ball!
Harmanpreet finds the boundary of the over which is an absolute necessity at this stage. Off the fifth ball of the over. Reads the length early and dispatches it towards the squae-leg region. MI fetch 8 off the over. They are  80/2 after 10 overs. Yastika Bhatia- 44* off 31, Harmanpreet Kaur- 13* off 10.Â
Kapp Resumes For Delhi Post Break.
Reddy to continue and Bhatia begins the over with a boundary yet again! Three singles follow in the over to make it 9 off it. MI- 72/2 after 9 overs. Time for a Strategic Time Out! MI need 100 from 66 deliveries.
Spin For The First Time This Innings. Capsey concedes 10 runs off the 8th over. Bhatia finding another boundary in that over. MI- 65/2 after 8 overs.
How big could that be as Minnu Mani fails to hold on to a sharp chance. Harmanpreet Kaur the batter who gets a life. Pulled uppishly towards the mid-wicket region and a chance goes down.Â
Arundhati Reddy comes into the attack and makes her presence felt straightaway as she knocks Sciver-Brunt over with a full inswinger. Harmanpreet Kaur comes at the crease and gets underway with a boundary straightaway. MI- 55/2 after 7 overs.
Shikha Pandey comes back for her 3rd over, and Yastika Bhatia doesn't spare. Hits her for a boundary on the second ball of the over followed by another boundary on the 4th ball as an edge flies over the slip region. SIX! Bhatia is on a roll here at the Chinnaswamy as she pulls a short of length delivery outside off for a maximum. 14 Runs off the over. MI- 50/1 after 6 overs.
Annabel Sutherland comes into the attack and gets hit for back-to-back boundaries by Yastika Bhatia. MI- 36/1 after 5 overs.
Shikha Pandey comes back for the 4th over, completes her over giving away just 5 runs. MI- 26/1 after 4 overs.
Kapp comes for her second over and she gets some treatment from Nat Sciver-Brunt as she hits her for two fours and a maximum. MI- 21/1 after 3 overs.
Yastika Bhatia and Nat Sciver-Brunt on the crease for Mumbai. Bhatia hits the first boundary of Mumbai;s innings. MI- 6/1 after 2 overs.
Welcome back to the second inninsg of the game between DCW and MIW. Delhi's Marizanne Kapp gets DC an incredible start as she bags the wicket of MI's Hayley Matthews and gives away no run in the first over. MI- 0/1 after 1 over.
Delhi Capitals have set a challenging total after being asked to bat by the defending champions. Noteworthy performances from skipper Meg Lanning, as well as Alice Capsey and Jemimah Rodrigues, have propelled Delhi to a formidable score of 171-5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Mumbai Indians will need a strong batting performance to secure a victory in the WPL opener at Chinnaswamy.
Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland, two new batters at the crease for the last over. Kapp hits Amelia Kerr for two back-to-back boundaries and then followes it up by another on the fifth ball of the over. Kerr, however, gets her revenge by dismissing Kapp on the final delivery of Delhi's batting innings. The target for Mumbai Indians Women is 172 runs. DC- 171/5 after 20 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt comes back for her last over and is greeted with a maximum by Rodrigues. On the very next ball, she gets a breather as she gets dropped at the deep square leg. Poor fielding by Mumbai Indians. A WICKET!! Sciver-Brunt stages a comeback and removes the dangerous-looking Rodrigues. All drama at the Chinnaswamy. DC- 157/4 after 19 overs.
Amelia Kerr gets Capsey's wicket off the first ball of 18th over. Capsey gets beaten on an attempted reverse-sweep, and gets adjudged LBW. A review by her goes in vain. Rodrigues, however, looks unstoppable as she continues the momentum going by hitting a four on the fourth ball of the over. DC- 147/3 after 18 overs.
Point fielder drops a sitter as Capsey gets a breather. Rodrigues tonks Ismail for a boundary and a six. DC- 141/2 after 17 overs.
Partnership between Alice Capsey and Jemimah Rodrigues worth 60 runs off just 32 balls. DC- 127/2 after 16 overs.
 Vastrakar For The First Time into the attack. Concedes four off her first. DC- 93/2 after 13 overs.
Half-Century For Capsey. She will be the key going forward in this innings. Gets there off 36 balls. After 12 overs, DC- 89/2.
WICKET! It's Nat Sciver who produces the breakthrough. DC- 67/2 after 10.4 Overs. Full and well outside off and Lanning goes for the big shot but is not in control of it at all. It's sliced to backward point where Sajana takes a fine catch.
Matthews with a fine over to resume proceedings after the break. 2 coming off it. After 10 overs, DC- 65/1.
9 Overs Bowled, DC- 63/1. 12 coming off the last over with a boundary also coming off Capsey's bat. STRATEGIC TIME OUT!
FIRST SIX OF THE SEASON! And it's Lanning who hits it. Tossed up outside off by Kerr and Lanning is up to the challenge. Smashed over mid on, catch that if you can.
50 Up for Delhi. After the conclusion of 8 overs, DC- 51/1.
First off a rare misfield on the field by MI with Matthews being the culprit before Lanning finding a boundary square off the wicket on the off side.
Sathyamoorthy Keerthana Into The Attack for MI.Â
7 Overs done and dusted. DC- 38/1 after 12 came off the last over.
Seems like Lanning has taken charge too with a classic boundary off the third ball after a boundary off the first ball of the over off the bat of her partner Capsey.
Amelia Kerr into the attack. DC need some impetus into the innings.
Not Quite The Big Over DC Wanted. Just 4 came off it. DC end powerplay at 26/1.
 Saika Ishaque To Finish The Powerplay for MI. Last over of the fielding restrictions. Will DC take the extra bit of risk?Â
Shabnim Ismail completes 3 overs on the trot. 5 off her third over including a third boundary from Capsey. DC: 22/1 after 5 overs.
 Nat Sciver-Brunt has got an Early bowl. Went for 10 off her first over. DC- 16/1 after 4 overs.
Alice Capsey is in at 3 and she has scored a couple of boundaries already.Â
Early wicket for Mumbai and it's Shabnim Ismail who has got rid of Shafali Varma for 1 off 8 balls. The middle stump is disturbed as Shafali looks for the big after just 3 came off the first 2 overs. Misses the shot completely but Shabnim is right on target. DC- 3/1 after 2.1 Overs.
Saika Ishaque From The Other End. Left-arm spinner.
Just 1 off the first over. It came off the bat of the captain. DC- 1/0 after 1st over.
Meg Lanning and Shafali Varma open for Delhi. Shabnim Ismail will bowl the first over. Here we go then as the WPL 2024 gets underway.Â
Playing XIs:
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (captain), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Arundhati Reddy, Minnu Mani, Taniya Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey
Mumbai Indians: Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Sajeeven Sajana, SB Keerthana, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque
Harmanpreet Kaur of Mumbai Indians wins the toss and elects to bowl first.
Toss has been delayed by a bit.
Glimpses From The Opening Ceremony of the WPL.
Karthik Aryan with a performance to remember
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of WPL 2024 Match number 1. It's been a star-studded affair already but the cricketing action is set to get underway shortly with the toss set to happen in a few minutes from now. STAY TUNED as we attempt to bring you every major details from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Background
The 2024 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) is all set to get underway at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru later this Friday (February 23). The tournament opener will be played between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in what will be a repeat of the last year's final. While Harmanpreet Kaur is leading the Mumbai franchise after successfully lifting the trophy in 2023, Meg Lanning would look to go one better this year after Delhi finished runners-up this season.
Other than the cricketing action there is a grand opening ceremony happening as well with who else but Shah Rukh Khan set to lead the show with Shahid Kapoor and other performances lined up as well. It will be a 08:00 pm (IST) start, ulike all the evening fixture of the Women's tournament this year as well as the Indian Premier League as the initial set of fixtures announced on February 22 (Thursday) revealed that those evening matches will begin at 07:30 pm (IST).
As far as the ground dimensions are concerned, 50m square on one side, 61 on the other with a 65-metre hit straight down the ground for a boundary. The longest part of the boundary is a 70-metre hit. The shortest happens to be 47 metre diagnally opposite to the pocket. Seems to be plenty to play for when the action gets underway.
Squads:
Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Shabnim Ismail, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur, Saika Ishaque, Chloe Tryon, Humaira Kazi, Issy Wong, Priyanka Bala, S Sajana, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Fatima Jaffer
Delhi Capitals: Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Minnu Mani, Jess Jonassen, Laura Harris, Arundhati Reddy, Ashwani Kumari, Aparna Mondal, Sneha Deepthi
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