MI beats GG by 55 runs: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants Highlights; Harmanpreet-led MI qualifies for Playoffs

A clinical finish from Mumbai Indians as they become the first team to qualify for the Playoffs after registering a dominant 55-run win over Gujarat Giants.

Nat Sciver-Brunt picks her second wicket and this time the pacer removes Gujarat skipper Sneh Rana. Sneh takes a review but it was a waste as Sciver-Brunt’s full delivery hit plumb on the Gujarat skipper’s pads and Mumbai continues to dictate terms.

Gujarat needs a miracle to win from here as it needs 88 runs in 36 deliveries. Hayley Matthews has picked two wickets and Saika Ishaque has bowled out three overs. Mumbai on top, at this point of the game.

Amelia Kerr picks her second wicket and this time Hemalatha falls. The batter steps out to smack the spinner out of the ground but fails to connect as the leg-break deceives her and the batter only manages to loft it into the hands of Wong at long-off.

Amelia Kerr picks a wicket as she dismisses Gardner, courtesy of a brilliant catch from Jintimani Kalita, Gardner goes for a booming sweep but ends up getting a thick outside edge and Kalita peddled back to take an excellent catch and put Mumbai on top.

Issy Wong strikes and the medium-pacer has trapped Harleen Deol to leave Gujarat four down. Harleen takes the review only to waste it as it’s three reds and just before the time-out Gujarat has lost an important wicket.

Harleen Deol has been the key batter for Gujarat as she has hit three boundaries and is batting unbeaten on 22 off 21 balls with three boundaries. Ashleigh Gardner is batting at a run-a-ball and Gujarat needs to build a partnership to win the game from here.

Matthews is now up to second place in the race for the purple cap.

She sends in an offbreak which turns outside the off stump. A thick outside edge is created but it’ll run away safely to backward point for FOUR. Should the strategy be to now let Gardner smash the ball with Harleen dropping anchor?

Just three runs come off the over as the two batters try and get some time at the crease.

Matthews comes into the attack and she gets Meghana OUT almost immediately. Meghana tried to give herself space but holes out to Amelia Kerr at long-on. Matthews get another scalp but not without some effort. Annabel Sutherland is the new batter. There’s an lbw appeal right up front., but the review shows the ball going down leg. However, she won’t survive the second time around, with Matthews getting her plumb. A low length ball goes into her back leg in front of the stumps. Sutherland starts to walk. Easy lbw.

5 runs off the over but two wickets for Mumbai Indians.

WICKET Meghana c Kerr b Matthews 16 (17b), Sutherland lbw b Matthews 0(4)

Hayley Matthews picks her second wicket and Mumbai Indians are currently bossing the game having picked three wickets inside the PowerPlay. Sutherland falls for a straight plumb in front of the wickets and there wasn’t any need for the review as the batter fell for playing across the line and missing the pull. Mumbai on top.

Sabbhineni Meghana and Harleen Deol have forged a 29-run partnership after the early fall of Sophia Dunkley. In the last five overs, Gujarat has scored 34 runs without the loss of a wicket.

Saika Ishaque bowling inside the PowerPlay is a sight to behold as the spinner has consistently bowled stump to stump and has been accurate in her line and lengths. Top bowling from Ishaque and on the other hand, Harleen Deol and Sabbhineni Meghana are trying to rebuild the innings.

Wicket first ball and Nat Sciver-Brunt has given Mumbai an excellent breakthrough by removing Dunkley. She took a review and burnt it as the ball hit right on top of her knee and that was plumb, according to the umpire’s call. Top over from Nat Sciver-Brunt. Gujarat suffers an early blow in chase of 163.

Harmanpreet Kaur scored a brilliant 30-ball 51 and Yastika Bhatia proved her credentials with the bat as an opener with a 37-ball 44 as Mumbai Indians posted a challenging 162/8 in 20 overs. Nat Sciver-Brunt too shined with the bat with a 31-ball 36 with Amelia Kerr playing a cameo at the end. Ashleigh Gardner was the star with the ball for Gujarat picking three wickets.

Tanuja Kanwar makes the breakthrough as she gets Amelia Kerr. Kim Grath takes an excellent catch at the backward point and Mumbai is in a bit of bother while closing out the innings. Gujarat has done well with its bowling and hasn’t allowed Mumbai to run away with the game.

Harmanpreet has found her groove and has dispatched Sutherland for a couple of boundaries as Mumbai picks the momentum in its pursuit of upping the ante. Harmanpreet and Kerr have forged a partnership and will be looking to close out the innings with another four overs to go.

Amelia Kerr is off the mark with a boundary but Harmanpreet Kaur has struggled to pierce through the gaps and get a boundary. The Mumbai Indians skipper has got off the mark but needs to up the ante in the next five overs.

Miscommunication between Harmanpreet and Yastika! The Mumbai Indians opener gets stranded in the middle of the crease and an unwanted single has cost Mumbai Indians a wicket. Yastika falls for a brilliant 44 off 37 deliveries and this has been a fabulous knock.

Top review from Sneh Rana as Garth traps Nat Sciver-Brunt. Full delivery and the review showed the ball was pitching in line and crashing on to the leg stump. Gujarat takes a successful review but that brings skipper Harmanpreet Kaur into the crease.

Yastika is playing a wonderful knock and a six over long-on has been the pick of the shot. The partnership is 63 off 56 balls and Mumbai at halfway stage is going exactly at 6.4 runs per over. They will surely up the ante after getting off to a bright start and losing just one wicket.

The fifty-run partnership is up between Sciver-Brunt and Yastika and this has been an excellent recovery from Mumbai. Tanuja Kanwar and Sneh Rana are bowling in tandem, searching for a breakthrough but the Mumbai batters have been excellent at playing spin.

Sneh Rana continues with her off-spin but both batters are looking comfortable playing against spin. Yastika’s positive approach and her footwork against spin has been remarkable. Sciver-Brunt was adjudged leg before by the on-field umpire but a fantastic review extended her stay at the crease as the ball was missing the stumps and it turned way too much.

Yastika and Sciver-Brunt have stitched a partnership worth 45 off 38 balls and Gujarat has opted for a strategic time-out. Mumbai has recovered after the fall of Matthews and with Yastika striking the ball well, they will look to dominate. Gujarat needs to pick wickets.

Tanuja Kanwar, left arm spinner comes into the attack and Yastika attacks her straightaway with a boundary to the fine leg region and then hammers her over the mid-on region for yet another boundary. There was a referral for run-out but Nat Sciver-Brunt survives as she grounded her bat in time before the wicket-keeper removed the bails.

Nat Sciver-Brunt has taken on Gardner as the batter smacks the off-spinner for a couple of boundaries - a sweep through the mid-wicket and then a loft over the mid-on as Mumbai marches on after the loss of Matthews.

Nat Sciver-Brunt has git her eye in as she plays a beautiful on-drive and the ball races through the mid-on for a boundary. Yastika is also looking good as she has timed the ball well and has been positive in her approach.

Yastika Bhatia and Nat Sciver-Brunt are in the rebuilding process after the fall of Matthews. Kim Grath has been introduced into the attack along with Sneh Rana. Gujarat has got the early breakthrough and another couple of wickets inside the PowerPlay will put them in a better position.

Top stuff from Ashleigh Gardner as she removes the dangerous Hayley Matthews. Tossed up delivery and Matthews hits straight to Dunkley at cover as she departs for a duck. Top start from Gujarat and it was clever of Sneh Rana to start with spin after winning the toss.

Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia are out in the middle and as Sanjay Manjrekar points out, there is a sea of blue at the CCI. With the new ball it will be Ashleigh Gardner. The countdown begins and here we go!

Sabbhineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Annabel Sutherland, Sushma Verma(w), Kim Garth, Tanuja Kanwar, Sneh Rana(c), Mansi Joshi

Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Dhara Gujjar, Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Gujarat Giants wins toss, opts to bowl first

The players are on the field and we are all set for the toss that will be up in five minutes from now.

Sabbhineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Sushma Verma (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Sneh Rana (c), Kim Garth, Mansi Joshi, Tanuja Kanwar

Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Where can I watch the WPL match live?

The WPL matches will be telecast live on the Sports18 network and will be live-streamed on the Jio Cinemas app/website.

Sabbhineni Meghana, Laura Wolvaardt, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Georgia Wareham, Sushma Verma(w), Kim Garth, Tanuja Kanwar, Sneh Rana(c), Mansi Joshi, Sophia Dunkley, Monica Patel, Ashwani Kumari, Hurley Gala, Shabnam Md Shakil, Parunika Sisodia, Annabel Sutherland

Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Dhara Gujjar, Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala, Pooja Vastrakar, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon

Wicketkeeper: Yastika Bhatia

Batters: Hayley Matthews, Sophia Dunkley, Harmanpreet Kaur (C)

All-rounders: Nat Sciver-Brunt (VC), Ashleigh Gardner, Chloe Tyron

Bowlers: Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Amelie Kerr, Issy Wong