WPL 2024: Harmanpreet Kaur blitz helps Mumbai Indians qualify for playoffs

Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 95 to guide her side to a last-ball win over Beth Mooney’s Gujarat Giants at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The win for MI took them to 10 points, helping them become the first team to qualify for the playoffs.

Mooney won the toss for her and opted to bat first. Hayley Matthews provided Mumbai Indians with an early breakthrough, cleaning up opener Laura Wolvaardt in the third over.

However, a massive 121-run partnership between Mooney and Dayalan Hemalatha turned the game on its head. Both batters went on to hit half-centuries before Sajeevan Sajana sent Mooney packing in her very first ball of the match.

Mooney, who scored a brilliant unbeaten 85 against RCB, smashed 66 runs off 35 deliveries while hitting eight boundaries and three sixes.

Following



Mooney's dismissal, Gujarat Giants lost wickets in a bunch with Saika Ishaque sending Phoebe Litchfield before Pooja Vastrakar cleaned up Ashleigh Gardner to reduced GG to 159 for 4.

Hemalatha continued her onslaught despite wickets falling at the other end. However, her innings came to an end at the hands of pacer Shabnim Ismail in the 17th over.

Ismail dismissed Hemalatha after scoring 74 runs off 40 balls, while smashing nine boundaries and two sixes. This was Hemalatha's first-ever half-century in the WPL.

Bharti Fulmali provided Gujarat with a late flourish with a 13-ball 21 to help them post 190 for 7 on the board in the first innings.

Ishaque was the pick of the Mumbai Indians bowlers, claiming two wickets while leaking 31 runs in four overs. Interestingly, Harmanpreet Kaur used a total of eight bowlers against Gujarat Giants.