WPL 2024, Match 1: Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women, First Match - Who Said What?

Mumbai Indians squared off with Delhi Capitals in the first match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 on Friday, February 23, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

This was a repeat of last year's final, where Mumbai won by seven wickets. That match was settled in the last ball. However, this game went to the last ball as a six from Sajeevan Sajana took Mumbai to a memorable victory.

Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bowl first at a venue which produces one of the finest batting pitches in the country. However, Delhi Capitals didn't get off to a great start as they scored just 26 runs and lost one wicket in the powerplay. Alice Capsey and captain Meg Lanning added 64 runs off 51 balls for the second wicket to give Delhi a sedate platform. After Lanning was dismissed for 31, Jemimah Rodrigues played a brilliant 42-run knock off 24 balls and added a vital 74-run partnership off just 40 balls with Capsey.

The England batter top-scored for Delhi with a 53-ball 75, hitting nine fours and three sixes. Nat-Sciver Brunt and Amelia Kerr picked two wickets apiece as Delhi finished on 171/5 in their stipulated 20 overs.

In reply, Mumbai lost Hayley Matthews for a duck in the first over. However, Yastika Bhatia and Nat-Sciver Brunt hit a flurry of boundaries to help her team get to 50 at the end of the powerplay. After Bhatia departed for 57, Harmanpreet Kaur played a captain's knock, scoring 55 off 34 balls. She was dismissed off the penultimate ball as she failed to clear the long-on boundary when Mumbai needed five runs to win off two balls.

Needing a six to win and a four to take the game to a Super Over, the pressure was on new batter Sajeevan Sajana. However, she kept a cool head and deposited Capsey over the long-on fence to take her team home. Mumbai won by four wickets to get off to a fantastic start in WPL 2024. The second season of the highly-anticipated tournament couldn't have gotten off to a better start.

Also Read: WPL 2024: MI-W vs DC-W Match 1 Highlights: Unmissable video recap, turning points, match analysis, stats, and more

Here are the talking points of the match:

1. Shabnim Ismail bags first wicket of WPL 2024

Shafali Verma looked out of sorts during her knock of 1 off 8 balls in the Delhi innings. Shabnim Ismail, who played her first game for Mumbai Indians, picked up her wicket with a quick delivery that went past Shafali's big hoick toward the on-side. The ball took out the middle stump as Ismail bagged the first wicket of WPL 2024.

2. Harmanpreet Kaur dropped on 4

The match could have had a completely different result had Minnu Mani managed to hold on to a catch when Harmanpreet was batting on 4. The right-handed batter not only scored an important fifty but also held the Mumbai innings together in the middle overs and toward the death as well.

Losing captain, Meg Lanning, Delhi Capitals said:

(On the pitch) It was reasonably good, it was sliding on. They bowled tough lengths and kept it straight. When you hit through the line and hit the gaps, the runs came. MI bowled well up front, which was probably the difference in the end. (On the score) We thought it was about par. We would have loved a few more. We bowled really well to take it to the last ball but it was not to be today. We executed well for the most part. It was a reasonable effort but we need to get better as the tournament goes on. Nearly snuck home in the end. Capsey bowling that last over - she did a great job. To come out and hit a six first ball like that is pretty impressive. (On bowling Capsey over Radha Yadav) Trying to hit the batters to the longer side was the theory and that played a big part in the decision. Credit to Mumbai for being clinical under pressure.

 Winning captain and Player of the Match, Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai Indians said:

Happy with how it (the game) ended. Really happy with the way we played, everyone looked positive. I would love to give credit to one of my batting coaches Himanshu bhaiya. After Australia series, I was not feeling well. He made me practice hard and gave me energy. I wanted to take a break and feel mentally well. (On the run-chase) We thought if we take the game deep, we can win the game. Sajana has been smashing sixes throughout the practice sessions and she showed what she is capable of (tonight). We had depth in our batting, and because of Sajana, I am standing here (smiles). We wanted to chase because of the conditions. Batting first or second does not matter, what matters is the conditions.