'Couldn’t quite figure out what Ecclestone was trying to do' - Mithali Raj addresses Harmanpreet-Sophie heated exchange
The incident occurred at the end of the 19th over of UP Warriorz innings on Thursday.
The recent Women’s Premier League (WPL) clash between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz on Thursday, March 6 witnessed a fiery exchange of words between Mumbai captain Harmanpreet Kaur and UP Warriorz spinner Sophie Ecclestone. Former Indian captain Mithali Raj expressed her views on the altercation.
During the final over of the first innings at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Mumbai were penalized for a slow over rate, with the umpire instructing Harmanpreet that only three fielders would be allowed outside the circle in the last over. This decision did not sit well with the MI skipper, who engaged in a debate with the umpire, asking for clarity on the ruling.
Amelia Kerr, who was upset by the decision, joined the discussion in support of her captain. However, Ecclestone, at the crease, also decided to step in and add her perspective. This did not go down well with the Indian batter, who exchanged few words with the England spinner. The umpires had to intervene to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Speaking exclusively on Amul Cricket Live on JioHotstar, Mithali Raj analyzed the incident and offered her insights into what may have triggered the tension.
“I believe Mumbai Indians were four minutes behind the over rate, which meant they had to bring an extra fielder inside the ring—allowing only three fielders on the boundary. Harmanpreet was likely discussing this with the umpire and reconsidering whether she would have bowled Shabnim Ismail in the 19th over had she known earlier. But I couldn’t quite figure out what Ecclestone was trying to do in that moment. As a captain, when you’re already dealing with an over-rate penalty and adjusting your field, it can be frustrating to have another player step into that conversation. I think it was just a moment of emotion,” Raj said.
Hayley Matthews’ innings was incredibly fluent: Mithali Raj
Despite that, the former champions dominated the game, securing a six-wicket victory over UP Warriorz. Hayley Matthews was the standout performer with a 46-ball 68, while Kerr contributed significantly with the ball, ending with figures of 5/38. MI comfortably chased down the 151-run target in 18.3 overs, strengthening their net run rate and climbing to second in the points table. The former Indian batter stressed upon the Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s partnership which helped the side seal the game.
“I would say that Hayley Matthews’ innings was incredibly fluent in her shot-making. Nat Sciver-Brunt, who came in during the powerplay, maintained an excellent strike rate. At one point, she was scoring at around 180. She continues to score runs consistently, and I think that partnership was crucial for the Mumbai Indians. A target of 150 can sometimes be tricky, especially with the UP Warriorz having quality spinners.
"Since MI also relied heavily on spin in the first innings, we expected the UP Warriorz spinners to play a key role as well. But that partnership never looked under pressure. I felt the UP Warriorz bowlers bowled on the shorter side, which allowed Matthews and Sciver-Brunt to put Mumbai Indians in a commanding position,” she added.
For UP Warriorz, this loss was their third consecutive defeat, placing them on the brink of elimination. Their batting effort, led by Georgia Voll’s 55 off 33 balls, initially promised a bigger total, but Mumbai’s bowling attack restricted them to 150/9.
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