Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet help Mumbai Indians defeat Delhi Capitals

Mumbai Indians’ Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur smashed unbeaten half-centuries, while pacer Nicola Carey ran through the middle order as the defending champions returned to winning ways, defeating Delhi Capitals by 50 runs in their Women’s Premier League match here on Saturday. Sciver-Brunt hammered a 46-ball 70, while Harmanpreet — smarting from a last-ball defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday — slammed an unbeaten 74 off 42 balls as Mumbai Indians posted a fighting 195 for 4 on the back of fine form from the two stalwarts.

Carey’s (3/37) three-wicket haul in the middle overs, including the key dismissals of hard-hitter Shafali Verma (8) and Laura Wolvaardt (9) in the fifth over, reduced Delhi Capitals to 33 for 3, a collapse that soon worsened to 46 for 5 in the seventh over. DC finally folded up for 145 in 19 overs despite Chinelle Henry’s rearguard 56 off 33 balls. England stalwart Sciver-Brunt, following her superb effort with the bat, also chipped in with two vital wickets giving away 29 runs, while Amelia Kerr, after disappointing with the bat, returned figures of 3/24 with the ball.

Sciver-Brunt excels with bat:  A day after a below-par outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 33-year-old all-rounder Sciver-Brunt roared back to form, smashing 13 boundaries in a fluent 46-ball 70. Sciver-Brunt, who scored four runs against RCB on Friday, anchored the defending champions’ innings alongside skipper Harmanpreet, who was equally belligerent, striking eight boundaries and three sixes.

The pair’s 66-run partnership for the third wicket became the cornerstone of MI’s competitive total, steadying the innings after opener Amelia Kerr’s first-ball duck.Kerr’s woes continued as she was trapped off an unnecessary expansive shot, edging a ball moving away from her behind to Lizelle Lee.  However, Sciver-Brunt quickly turned the tide. She took aim at West Indian pacer Chinelle Henry, scoring 10 runs in the second over and adding two more boundaries in the fourth.

Sciver-Brunt’s 49-run partnership with opener Gunalan Kamalini helped steady the Mumbai innings. Kamalini looked to capitalise on the momentum, hitting two boundaries in the seventh over, before young Delhi Capitals right-arm pacer Nandani Sharma came around the wicket and tempted her with an almost wide yorker, resulting in Kamalini being caught behind.

Despite Kamalini’s dismissal, Sciver-Brunt continued to dominate, reaching her half-century off just 32 balls, with Harmanpreet ensuring she held the strike. The England stalwart punished anything short of a length and DC off-spinner Sneh Rana found this out the hard way in the 10th over, conceding two boundaries.

The onslaught continued till Sciver-Brunt was dismissed, caught by DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues off the bowling of Shree Charani. Harmanpreet then took charge. Mumbai Indians’ players celebrate a wicket during a Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, at the DY Patil Stadium, in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.