Image Credit- BCCI
With Harmanpreet
Kaur batting in the middle, the Mumbai Indians needed to score 91 runs in 36
balls. After six overs, neither team had scored more than 83, meaning they were
out of the game.
After hitting fast bowlers Meghna Singh and Shabnam MD, she took 24 off an over
by Sneh Rana as Mumbai chased down the Gujarat Giants’ 190 for 7 and secured a
position in the playoffs for the second year in a row. With the push of a
button, Harmanpreet instantly shifted gears, going from 20 off 21 to an
undefeated 95 off just 48 balls, helping Mumbai achieve the WPL’s highest
successful run-chase.
The Mumbai bowlers
were finding it difficult to locate their lines and lengths as the Giants were
poised to surpass the 200-run threshold thanks to the solid foundation provided
by Mooney and Hemalatha. Hemalatha set and Phoebe Litchfield joined her, and
they were put at 150 for 2. Mumbai was able to make a comeback while Hemalatha
was delivering hits. From that point on, they routinely took wickets and
allowed up just three overs of 10 or more. What was the outcome? Giants could
only muster 40 for 5 in the final six games.
True, and quite
properly so, Harmanpreet raised the most ruckus during the pursuit. She has a
reputation for acting aggressively, and that’s when she usually comes alive.
However, it was Yastika Bhatia’s one innings that kept Mumbai in the chase.
Bhatia took advantage of the short boundary, hitting Kathryn Bryce for a four
and a six in the second over, while her opening partner Hayley Matthews was
having difficulty getting off to a good start. Mumbai managed to piece together
just their second 50-run opening stand of the season when Matthews momentarily
discovered her touch. But immediately following the powerplay, Tanuja Kanwar
caught her at long range.
Mumbai’s chase was
over for all money when teenage Shabnam, who played a part in India’s victory
in the first-ever Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup last year, dismissed Nat
Sciver-Brunt cheaply in the eighth over.
However, Bhatia continued to identify the holes and advance the scores. Rana
was varying her flight and lines, so she used her feet against her. In her
next, she hammered one through covers and lofted herself straight over the head
of the non-striker. However, she gave Ashleigh Gardner a top edge on 49,
leaving the game suspenseful.
The fight between
Harmanpreet and Rana was amazing. The off-spinner kept her India captain from
swinging through or releasing her arms for an extended period of time. However,
Harmanpreet attempted to go the airborne route and lofted one straight to long-on,
where Litchfield lost a sitter and gave away four, with 70 needed off only 26.
By the time Rana arrived for her final over, Harmanpreet’s confidence was over
the roof, with 47 needed off 18. With an over in which she hammered two sixes
and three fours to virtually seal the deal, Rana ad Giants were both made to
pay for that drop.