Harmanpreet Kaur inspired Mumbai Indians to a thrilling seven-wicket win against Gujarat Giants in the crucial Women's Premier League 2024 game on Saturday. Harmanpreet smashed an unbeaten 95 off just 48 balls to help Mumbai Indians chase down a record 191-run target with a ball remaining.
A win also boosted Mumbai Indians to the top in the WPL 2024 points table and confirmed their place in the playoffs. Gujarat Giants suffered their fifth defeat of the season in a big blow to their slim hopes to secure playoff qualification.
After narrowly defending 199 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last game, Gujarat posted another big total at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Captain Beth Mooney smashed 66 off just 35 balls and Indian batter Dayalan Hemalatha top-scored with 74 off 40 balls to boost Gujarat to 190/7 batting first. Hayley Matthews gave Mumbai a positive start with the early wicket of Laura Wolvaardt but Mooney and Hemalatha added 121 runs for the second wicket.
Mumbai managed to make a comeback with wickets of Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner in successive overs but debutant Bharti Fulmali smashed 21* off just 13 balls. Saika Ishaque picked two for 31 but the likes of Pooja Vastrakar and Natalie Sciver-Brunt proved costly today.
Chasing a mammoth target, Mumbai openers Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia added 50 runs in powerplay overs to balance the game.
The left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar gave Gujarat a breakthrough with Yastika's wicket in the seventh over and the 16-year-old Shabnam Shakil dismissed in-form Natalie Sciver-Brunt in the next over to put Gujarat in the driving seat.
But Harmanpreet produced two sensational partnerships with Yastika for the third wicket and Amelia Kerr for the fourth wicket to take the game to the wire.
Harmanpreet registered her highest score in WPL by smashing 95* off 48 balls, the highest score by any Indian, to help Mumbai chase down the most successful target in tournament history.
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Humaira Kazi, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque
Gujarat Giants Playing XI: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (c & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Bharati Fulmali, Kathryn Bryce, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Meghna Singh, Shabnam Md Shakil
