WPL 2024: MUM-W vs DEL-W Match 1 Highlights: Unmissable video recap, turning points, match analysis, stats, and more

Key Summary

The first match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals turned out to be an edge-of-the-seat contest as the match was decided off the last ball.

Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss for Mumbai and opted to bowl first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Shabnim Ismail, who made her Mumbai Indians debut, picked up the wicket of Shafali Verma in just her second over. Delhi scored just six runs in the first three overs as Ismail and Saika Ishaqure got their team off to a brilliant start.

Alice Capsey and Delhi skipper Meg Lanning built an important 64-run partnership off 51 balls to lay the foundation for the batting team. However, the partnership that gave them momentum was the one between Jemimah Rodrigues and Capsey of 74 runs off 40 balls. Delhi eventually finished on 171/5 in their 20 overs.

Marizanne Kapp got Delhi off to a dream start with the ball as she bowled a wicket-maiden. After Hayley Matthews was dismissed for a duck, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Yastika Bhatia stitched a 50-run partnership off 35 balls. The latter was very aggressive inside the powerplay and eventually departed after scoring a 45-ball 57.

Harmanpreet Kaur played a brilliant knock of 55 and took Mumbai to the brink before getting out off the penultimate ball of the match. She could have been dismissed for four but Minnu Mani couldn't hold onto a catch at mid-wicket. Sajeevan Sajana walked out to the middle with five runs required off the last ball. She stepped down the track and lofted Capsey over long-on for a maximum to send Mumbai fans into a frenzy.

Also Read: Watch: Shabnim Ismail gets off the mark on MI debut, Shafali Verma first batter to be dismissed in WPL 2024

Let’s take a look at the highlights from Match 1 of WPL 2024:

1. Shabnim Ismail picks up first wicket in WPL 2024

South African pacer Shabnim Ismail conceded just one run in her first over and picked up the big wicket of Shafali Verma in the first ball of her second over. The right-arm pacer beat Shafali for pace as the Indian batter missed her attempt to hoick toward the leg side. The ball crashed onto the middle stump to give Shabnim her first wicket on her Mumbai Indians debut. This was also the first wicket of WPL 2024.

2. Alice Capsey scores first fifty of WPL 2024

The talented England batter took her time to settle down before taking the Mumbai bowlers to the cleaners. She hit nine fours and three sixes during her innings of 75 off just 53 balls. Capsey became the first half-centurion in the second season of WPL.

3. Young Yastika Bhatia sets the stage on fire

Yastika Bhatia took the attack to the Delhi bowlers inside the first six overs and helped Mumbai get to the 50-run mark at the end of the powerplay. She reached her half-century off just 35 balls. The southpaw eventually departed for 57 off 45 balls after hitting eight fours and two sixes.

4. Harmanpreet Kaur plays a captain's knock

The Indian captain led Mumbai Indians from the front on Friday. She hit seven fours and one six en route to her 55-run knock off 34 balls. Harmanpreet's partnerships with Yastika and Amelia Kerr proved to be very crucial for her team.

5. Dramatic end to a pulsating clash

When Harmanpreet got out to Capsey, Mumbai needed five runs to win off the last ball. Sajeevan Sajana came out to the middle and didn't look nervous at all. She deposited Capsey's flighted delivery well over the long-on fence to give her side a memorable win.

Here are some of the reactions from the opening match of WPL 2024: