Images from the WPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium, in Mumbai, on Saturday.
Harmanpreet Kaur's quickfire fifty and Nat Sciver-Brunt's fine all-round showing steered Mumbai Indians to their second Women's Premier League title, after they beat Delhi Capitals by eight runs, in the final on Saturday.
Harmanpreet saved her best for the big day as her scintillating 44-ball 66 was instrumental in taking MI to a fighting 149/7. She put on 89 runs for the third wicket with Sciver-Brunt, who made 30, to power the hosts to 149/7 in their 20 overs.
Delhi Capitals suffered their third straight loss in the WPL final, while MI won their second title after 2023.
While it seemed that MI were at least 15 runs short of what was a par-score on a good batting track, Delhi Capitals batters put undue pressure on themselves to finish at 141/9 despite late surge from Marizanne Kapp, who hit 40 from 26 balls.
MI's most impactful player through the tournament Nat Sciver-Brunt removed DC skipper Meg Lanning with an off-cutter. Shafali Verma, who has not shown any signs of improvement as far as her technique is concerned, was caught plumb in-front by Shabnim Ismail as the visitors suffered early blows.
Jemimah Rodrigues (30 off 21 balls) tried for a while and so did Marizanne Kapp (40 off 26 balls) but it didn't prove to be enough in the end.
Having batted like a champion, Harmanpreet's years of experience of being an international skipper of repute proved to be handy as she marshalled her resources admirably, rotating the bowlers, not allowing the batters to get settled.
Whether it was Sciver-Brunt (3/30), Shabnim Ismail (1/15), Amelia Kerr (2/25 in 4 overs) or Indian youngster Saika Ishaque (1/33 in 4 overs), MI got wickets just when DC seemed ready for a comeback.
Earlier, Delhi Capitals did well enough to restrict Mumbai Indians to a fighting 149/7 despite Harmanpreet's half-century.
Marizanne Kapp (2/11 in 4 overs) was the pick of the DC bowlers while left-arm spinners Shree Charani (2/43 in 4 overs) and Jess Jonassen (2/26 in 3 overs) also got crucial wickets.
Put in to bat, MI started on a sedate note, courtesy of a fine spell Kapp in the Powerplay, to leave MI reeling on 22/2 after seven overs.
But, Harmanpreet effortlessly shifted gears from the onset, starting with a short-arm swat pull off Annabel Sutherland and then three fours off left-arm spinner Jonassen.
Cut above the rest of Indian women cricketers in terms of sheer quality, the manner in which the Indian skipper pierced the off-side field was a sight to behold.
She took on the opposition's most successful bowler of the tournament, Jonassen, who had to be taken off the attack by DC skipper Meg Lanning and the bowling changes suddenly didn't work.
At the other end, tournament's highest run-getter Nat Sciver-Brunt (30 off 28 balls) completed her personal tally of 500 runs in this edition but for a change, played second fiddle, allowing Harmanpreet to enthrall the near-capacity Brabourne Stadium crowd that cheered her every stroke.
The duo added 89 in little over 10 overs but just when it looked that MI are setting themselves up for a big total, left-arm spinner Charani got Sciver-Brunt caught at square leg while trying to slog sweep.
Having recovered to 103/3, Mumbai Indians again collapsed to 118/6 in no time as Jonassen's twin blows in the 16th over increased pressure on Harmanpreet.
First it was Amelia Kerr, who had a torrid run with the bat, caught in the deep and then Sajeevan Sajana's attempted slog sweep went haywire as she was trapped leg-before.
Finally, it was Sutherland, who got the MI skipper, who went for one shot too many as they ended at least 15 short of par score.
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