Amelia Kerr’s exceptional five-wicket haul and Hayley Matthews’ explosive half-century propelled Mumbai to a commanding victory, elevating them to the second position in the league standings. While MI edges closer to qualification with eight points, UP Warriorz remain at the bottom and now rely on favorable outcomes from other matches to advance to the next stage. In a high-stakes game, UP Warriorz initially showed promise but faltered in the latter half, posting a modest total of 150/9. The inaugural champions efficiently chased down this target with nine balls remaining.
Matthews began her innings with a new opening partner, Amelia Kerr, who had limited experience opening in T20 cricket. Kerr started aggressively with boundaries but was dismissed for 10. Nat Sciver-Brunt continued her impressive form, surpassing 300 runs this season with a strike rate near 150. Her partnership with Matthews for 92 runs for the second wicket effectively sealed the game for Mumbai. This is the second instance this season where this duo has tormented the Warriorz, previously adding 133 runs off 81 balls in their earlier encounter.
As Sciver-Brunt maintained her consistency, Matthews rediscovered her form, delivering a standout performance after a series of less impactful innings. She displayed powerful cuts and pulls against various bowlers during the PowerPlay. This dynamic pair even scored 16 runs off a single over from Gouher Sultana. By the innings’ midpoint, Mumbai had chased down over half the target, reaching 91/1 in 10 overs.
A cut shot against Deepti Sharma in the 11th over brought Matthews to her half-century in just 35 balls. Sciver-Brunt continued her aggressive scoring before being caught out. Shortly after, Matthews was dismissed for 68 off 48 balls. Despite Harris taking wickets, Amanjot Kaur and Yastika Bhatia ensured MI crossed the finish line.
Earlier, UP Warriorz had a promising start, benefiting from promoting Georgia Voll to open, who scored a rapid half-century. Voll and Harris put together a 74-run opening stand, marking the first PowerPlay this season without a wicket falling in the first innings. However, Harris was dismissed, and despite Kerr claiming wickets, UP Warriorz were well-positioned at 89/2 after 10 overs.
The turning point arrived in the following over when Sciver-Brunt dismissed Voll, triggering a collapse. Voll departed for 55 off 33 balls, leaving the Warriorz vulnerable. Kerr then initiated her spell of dominance, taking two wickets in the 15th over. Matthews later returned to take a wicket, and UPW struggled to 125/7. Although Sophie Ecclestone added some runs, Kerr completed her five-wicket haul, restricting UPW to 150/9. UPW managed only 61/7 in the latter half of their innings, resulting in an insufficient total.
Match Summary: UP Warriorz 150/9 in 20 overs (Georgia Voll 55, Grace Harris 28; Amelia Kerr 5-38, Hayley Matthews 2-25) lost to MI 153/4 in 18.3 overs (Hayley Matthews 68, Nat Sciver-Brunt 37; Grace Harris 2-11) by 6 wickets.
