Image Credit- BCCI
The Women’s Premier League’s opening night of the
second season concluded in spectacular manner, much like it began.
Protecting the winners Mumbai Indians began their title defence in Bengaluru
with a thrilling last-ball victory by four wickets. The game swung one way and
then the other, making a movie-like ending appropriate only after an inaugural
ceremony including Bollywood’s biggest names.
Mumbai, chasing a formidable 172, needed 22 runs from the final two overs,
captain Harmanpreet Kaur in position. With one ball remaining in the
penultimate over, she struck a six, reducing the equation to 12 off 6. The
Capitals switched to Alice Capsey, the part-time off-spin with the longer
border on the leg side. The move almost succeeded after she dismissed Pooja
Vastrakar and Harmanpreet in the first five balls.
However, with five wickets needed off one, Kerala
all-rounder S Sajana, in her debut WPL match, crushed Capsey over long on,
setting off fireworks in the boisterous Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd. Sajana’s
mishandled catch let Capsey score a 53-ball 75 just hours earlier, but her
night came to an abrupt end.
There was discussion about Shabnim Ismail serving as Issy Wong’s backup when
Mumbai purchased her at the auction. However, not only did she start WPL 2024
before Wong, but she also bowled an opening spell that dispelled any idea that
she was a “back up.” Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque supported Ismail
with a one-run first over from the other end.
Ismail then struck with the first ball of her second over – a 118kph delivery
bowling Shafali Verma, who cleared her front leg and looked to mow across the
line.
The Capitals’ innings had been gradually restored by
Meg Lanning and Capsey before the shackles were broken in the opening over
following the powerplay. Before Lanning followed suit to hit over mid-on,
Capsey danced down to loft Amelia Kerr over more cover. SB Keerthana, a rookie
and another legspinner, was dismissed for 13 in her lone over.
Capsey picked up pace even after losing the captain, smashing two sixes and a
four against Matthews to reach a half-century in just 36 balls. In addition to
Jemimah Rodrigues, who blended tenacity and a fine touch, the Capitals
consistently found boundaries as the game neared its conclusion. Before Capsey
mishandled a reverse sweep and was trapped leg before wicket off Kerr, he and
Rodrigues put up 74 off just 40 balls.
When Mumbai’s opener attempted to drive Marizanne Kapp
and edged behind, Hayley Matthews was gone to the second ball of the chase.
Yastika Bhatia made a lovely drive beyond wide mid-off to get off to a good
start. After hitting two fours against Annabel Sutherland, she went after
Shikha Pandey in the final over of the powerplay.
She appeared ready to bat through the chase after reaching her fifty off
thirty-five balls. However, when she heaved across the line at another slower
one from Reddy, she found Kapp at deep midwicket.
Harmanpreet opened the scoring with a clean first ball
cover drive. Even after Bhatia had holed out, she continued to strike and find
limits on a regular basis. As the pursuit tightened, Sutherland and Kapp’s
tempo aided her. She reached a 32-ball fifty after smashing a huge six over
long on. In the opening game of the WPL 2023, she too scored fifty runs during
a successful chase, giving the impression that we had seen this before.
However, Mumbai’s pursuit appeared to wane after her dismissal, prior to Sajana
doing the unimaginable.