🏏WPL2023:Delhi Capitals Women vs Mumbai Indians Women, Final🏏 - Page 19

10:44pm: The huddle is still on, the ground is covered in smoke but one thing is clear: MI have another dominant side. Mumbai were ahead from the start of the game, Shikha and Radha pushed Delhi to 131. Mumbai tried to start the chase positively, Radha and Jonassen bowled well and chipped away. But then, Harman and Nat Sciver-Brunt did what Delhi Capitals' batters couldn't do, which was to string a partnership.

A thrilling final!! It had to go down to the final over, but MI performed better in both departments today and will go down as deserved winners. The chase didn't start too well, as Yastika Bhatia holed out in the second over, and fellow opener Hayley Matthews fell in the powerplay as well. Delhi's bowlers kept the lines very tight in the first half of the innings, not allowing MI to get ahead.

They had a target to go after which helped, they didn't mind slowing down and taking it deep. Harman got run out and Shikha bowled a tight over which made the equation tense but Kerr and NSB cleared it.

The experience of Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt was exactly what was needed, as they soaked the early pressure but kept their wickets intact. Chasing a small target, they could take their time and in the second half, Harman dished out some calculated attacks. However, she was run out once again in a crucial game, but this time it didn't come back to haunt them.

In the first innings, Verma started with a six and four but Issy Wong picked up three wickets with three full tosses, and DC never fully recovered from that.

22:45 Local Time, 17:15 GMT, 22:45 IST: A thrilling final!! It had to go down to the final over, but MI performed better in both departments today and will go down as deserved winners. The chase didn't start too well, as Yastika Bhatia holed out in the second over, and fellow opener Hayley Matthews fell in the powerplay as well. Delhi's bowlers kept the lines very tight in the first half of the innings, not allowing MI to get ahead. But the experience of Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt was exactly what was needed, as they soaked the early pressure but kept their wickets intact. Chasing a small target, they could take their time and in the second half, Harman dished out some calculated attacks. However, she was run out once again in a crucial game, but this time it didn't come back to haunt them. Nat Sciver-Brunt carried on from her eliminator knock's form, as she scored a crucial fifty, and Melie Kerr's late cameo in the penultimate over where she attakced Jonassen sealed the game.

In the first innings, Verma started with a six and four but Issy Wong picked up three wickets with three full tosses, and DC never fully recovered from that. There was a partnership blooming between Kapp and Lanning, but Kapp was caught behind and then Lanning was run out. DC were reduced to 79/9 at one stage with Hayley Matthews bowling a dream spell of 3/5 with two maidens. The game showed have never got close, but Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav's last wicket partnership of over fifty runs helped their team to a respectable score. Now stick around for the presentations and all the interviews that might be in store...

Amelie Kerr: I guess you train for and work hard for those finishing moments. Nice when it comes off, it's been an amazing win for an amazing franchise. You just get into a zone but in between the balls you hear the crowd and it's great but you go back into the zone. Charlotte is a legend, she's got a wealth of knowledge. She's taken teams to finals but get a team over the line is brilliant to see.

Hayley Matthews: Exciting to be a part of history and bring it home for the MI family. I guess wickets are wickets. The wicket assisted me, happy to get the team to a win.

Saika Ishaque: Feels amazing, it's been a dream come true. It was to become champion and is speechless in joy. Didn't make much changes, just wanted to bowl dots if there wasn't wickets. Plan C was to bowl full tosses and wickets (laughs). I would like to thank all the fans, grateful for their support.

Yastika Bhatia: Enormous, can't explain how good it feels. Very happy and proud of the team. We were relaxed yesterday and were focusing on the little things. Think Issy was quick, the full tosses were not low, so the pace must have gotten wickets.