Uncover the details of Sciver-Brunt’s outstanding show that secured Mumbai’s first win in WPL 2025. Read match summaries and player highlights now.
Introduction
From the moment a confident Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl, Mumbai Indians seemed destined for victory in their second WPL 2025 match against Gujarat Giants. Teams chasing had won every game so far this season, and with Mumbai’s 4-0 record against the Giants, the odds heavily favored them. The game followed expectations as Mumbai secured a convincing win.
Clinical Bowling Display Restricts Gujarat Giants
Hayley Matthews led Mumbai’s disciplined bowling effort with a three-wicket haul, supported by two-wicket efforts from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr. Their combined efforts bowled out the Giants for a modest 120.
Harmanpreet’s earlier decision to attack proved fruitful as Sciver-Brunt struck in the second over, getting rid of Beth Mooney, who edged a simple catch to Sanskriti Gupta. Shabnim Ismail got rid of Laura Woolvardt to leave the Giants at 14 for 2. The slide continued as Matthews got rid of D Hemalatha with a breathtaking catch by Kerr at deep midwicket.
See also: Niki Prasad and Arundhati Reddy Shine for DC
Ashleigh Gardner, a key player in the Giants’ previous matches, showed promise with a quick-fire 10 but fell to a deceptive slower ball from Sciver-Brunt. By the end of the powerplay, Giants were struggling at 28 for 4, recording the lowest powerplay score of the season with a staggering 26 dot balls out of 36.
The Giants’ belligerent strategy, despite their disastrous start, did not work. Deandra Dottin and Kashvee Gautam played a short cameo but could not develop a substantial partnership. Harleen Deol was a lone soldier, though, and scored 32 off 31 balls with good placement sweeps. Alas, the lack of support never allowed Gujarat to pick up any momentum, closing their innings at 120 all out. See also: Will Young and Tom Latham Shine against Pakistan
For Mumbai, Matthews gave away just 16 runs in her four-over spell with 16 dot balls, and Sciver-Brunt and Ismail bowled with the same control, never allowing Gujarat to recover.
Sciver-Brunt Secures Win with Dominant Fifty
A 121-run chase was never going to be a challenging one for Mumbai, and Nat Sciver-Brunt made sure there were no shocks. She put all the doubts regarding her form to rest with a stylish 57 off 39 balls, handing Mumbai their first victory of the tournament.
Matthews gave a quick beginning with three boundaries but was dismissed by a mistimed shot off Tanuja Kanwar. Any dreams of a batting collapse were soon forgotten as Sciver-Brunt dominated. She started with a powerful pull and went on to drive through the field with accuracy, sending Deandra Dottin over point and pulling Priya Mishra for back-to-back boundaries.
Though they lost Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai was in charge. Sciver-Brunt and Kerr shared a key 45-run partnership, ticking the scoreboard with ease. She got to her fifty in 34 balls before getting out just short of the target. Debutant G Kamalini made an early statement with a boundary off the first ball, and Sajana completed the chase in style, hoisting Dottin over mid-off.
Mumbai Rises to Second, Giants Struggle
The victory of Mumbai lifted them to the second position in the WPL table, whereas Gujarat Giants lost a major setback to their Net Run Rate (NRR). Mumbai made 5-0 their record over Gujarat with this victory, with the team remaining the only side not to be defeated by the Giants.
With the momentum in their favor, Mumbai will seek to follow up on this victory, while Gujarat will have to regroup and sort out their weaknesses if they hope to revive their campaign.