WPL 2024: Amelia Kerr inspires Mumbai Indians to dominant win over Gujarat Giants

Mumbai Indians recorded a simple five-wicket win in opposition to Gujarat Giants within the third match of the Women’s Premier League 2024 on Sunday, February 25. Amelia Kerr produced a powerful all-round efficiency to encourage Mumbai to the highest of the league factors desk. 

Opening their WPL 2024 marketing campaign, Gujarat batters struggled early in opposition to Shabnin Ismail’s tempo after which Kerr dominated the innings with 4 wickets. Debutant Kathryn Bryce and Indian bowler Tanuja Kanwar added some essential runs within the closing phases to assist the Giants submit 126/9 batting first at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

Mumbai Indians additionally struggled for a begin dropping three early wickets however a 66-run stand between Amelia Kerr and Harmanpreet Kaur for the fourth wicket was sufficient for title defenders to clinch a simple win with 11 balls remaining. Harmanpreet completed the sport with an enormous six off Sneh Rana as she top-scored with 46* off 41 balls.

Harmanprete Kaur gained the essential toss and elected to discipline first with the identical enjoying eleven that beat Delhi Capitals within the season opener. Gujarat Giants handed a debut to 4 gamers, together with high-profile signing Phoebe Litchfield. 

Shabmim gave Mumbai a sensational begin with the wicket of veteran Veda Krishnamurthy on the fourth supply of the sport. The Proteas star then dismissed Harleen Deol on a lbw within the third wicket to our Gujarat below stress. Gujarat batters struggled to discover momentum and misplaced the primary seven wickets inside 14 overs with simply 78 runs on the scoreboard.

Debutant Kathryn Bryce and uncapped Indian spinner Tanuja Kanwar then added 48 runs for the eighth wicket as Gujarat posted 126/9 in 20 overs. Kerr picked 4 wickets for 17 whereas Shabnim bagged three for 18 for Mumbai.

After impressing with a bat, Bryce and Kanwar shone with one early wicket every to stability the sport. But Harmanpreet and Kerr’s 66-run stand for the fourth wicket proved the distinction. Mumbai misplaced Kerr within the sixteenth over who scored 31 runs however Harmanpreet remained unbeaten to see her workforce off to the end line. Kerr bagged the Player of the Match award for her 31 runs and 4 wickets. 

Gujarat Giants Playing XI: Beth Mooney (c & wk), Veda Krishnamurthy, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Kathryn Bryce, Lea Tahuhu, Meghna Singh.

Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, S Sajana, Shabnim Ismail, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque.