WPL 2024: Mumbai Indians chase down record target against Gujarat Giants to secure playoff qualification

Harmanpreet Kaur impressed Mumbai Indians to an exciting seven-wicket win against Gujarat Giants within the essential Women’s Premier League 2024 recreation on Saturday. Harmanpreet smashed an unbeaten 95 off simply 48 balls to assist Mumbai Indians chase down a record 191-run target with a ball remaining.

A win additionally boosted Mumbai Indians to the highest within the WPL 2024 factors desk and confirmed their place within the playoffs. Gujarat Giants suffered their fifth defeat of the season in an enormous blow to their slim hopes to secure playoff qualification. 

After narrowly defending 199 against Royal Challengers Bangalore of their final recreation, Gujarat posted one other huge whole at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. 

Captain Beth Mooney smashed 66 off simply 35 balls and Indian batter Dayalan Hemalatha top-scored with 74 off 40 balls to increase Gujarat to 190/7 batting first. Hayley Matthews gave Mumbai a constructive begin with the early wicket of Laura Wolvaardt however 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 however debutant Bharti Fulmali smashed 21* off simply 13 balls. Saika Ishaque picked two for 31 however the likes of Pooja Vastrakar and Natalie Sciver-Brunt proved pricey immediately.

Chasing a mammoth target, Mumbai openers Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia added 50 runs in powerplay overs to stability the sport.

The left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar gave Gujarat a breakthrough with Yastika’s wicket within the seventh over and the 16-year-old Shabnam Shakil dismissed in-form Natalie Sciver-Brunt within the subsequent over to put Gujarat within 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 sport to the wire. 

Harmanpreet registered her highest rating in WPL by smashing 95* off 48 balls, the very best rating by any Indian, to assist Mumbai chase down essentially the most profitable target in event historical past.

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