Delhi Capitals eked out a thrilling last-ball win over Mumbai Indians in the second match of the Women's Premier League 2024 at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Saturday, February 15. The Capitals registered their highest chase in WPL history as they hunted down 165 on the last ball in a dramatic game.
The match kept swinging from one way to the other. After a record-breaking 403-run opening night in the tournament, the second game was a proper middling game. Shafali Verma had sent the Capitals to a flier with a 22-run second over. The opener was threatening to kill the game but was dismissed on 42 from 18 balls.
The Capitals kept losing wickets at regular intervals, however, India's U19 World Cup-winning captain Niki Prasad played a crucial knock of 35 from 33 balls to help the Capitals come close to a win. Sarah Bryce played a strong cameo of 21 from 10 balls to give the much-needed impetus. Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy took the Capitals home when 10 were needed off the final over.
The game also saw a couple of close run-out calls. The incidents looked close, however, the decisions went the Capitals' way. On the final ball too when two were needed off the final ball, Arundhati hit one over covers as she and Radha looked for a couple. Harmanpreet Kaur charged the throw to the batter's end. It could have gone either way, but the umpire deemed Arundhati not-out, believing that she had made her ground when the stumps broke.
MI managed to get to 164 on the back of Harmanpreet's cameo of 42 and a strong knock from Nat-Sciver Brunt. The English all-rounder smashed 80 runs and took the Capitals to a strong total. Harmanpreet has become the second Indian batter to reach 8000 runs in T20s, following the footsteps of Smriti Mandhana. Harmanpreet needed 37 runs to get to the milestone and she got there in the 11th over of the first innings.
Mumbai Indians Women's Playing XI: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque
Delhi Capitals Women's Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning(c), Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland, Niki Prasad, Sarah Bryce(w), Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav
