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.
CASTLED! 🎯
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
Shabnim Ismail with a spectacular delivery to claim the first wicket of Season 2 🔥🔥#TATAWPL | #MIvDC | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/H7TBL0Klre
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.
Alice Capsey is off to a formidable start in #TATAWPL Season 2 🤩
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
She gets the first 50 of this edition 💥💥
Match Centre 💻 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#MIvDC pic.twitter.com/ohCGXkuftA
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.
Yastika Bhatia brings up her FIFTY in style 😎
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
She's got Captain @ImHarmanpreet at the other end as #MI reach 90/2 👌👌
Who will break this partnership for #DC?
Match Centre 💻📱 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#TATAWPL | #MIvDC | @YastikaBhatia pic.twitter.com/XvbvkBfBES
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.
Captain @ImHarmanpreet leading from the front for @mipaltan!#MI need 12 off 5 now 😲
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
Match Centre 💻📱 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#TATAWPL | #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/GRP0HeHntj
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.
Final ball. Match-defining Six. Contrasting emotions
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
The #TATAWPL Season 2 has well and truly begun 🔥😍
Scorecard 💻📱 https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#MIvDC pic.twitter.com/tjbm4bpDsV
Here are some of the reactions from the opening match of WPL 2024:
WPL back with a bang! Wow! #TATAWPL
— Tammy Beaumont (@Tammy_Beaumont) February 23, 2024
😱😱😱 what a finish!!! Great opening game of the @wplt20 nothing beats live sport!
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 23, 2024
😳😳 what a start to the tournament! #WPL2024
— Kate Cross (@katecross16) February 23, 2024
Congrats to @BCCI for a wonderful opening ceremony. My favourite moment was @iamsrk talking about the @wplt20 and then introducing the captains. He went one step further and had a small interaction with each of them. #authentic
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 23, 2024
What a legend our man @iamsrk is…very few can elevate a Live event like him. 🙇♂️
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 23, 2024
One of my favourite tournaments is starting tonight… #TataWPL
Let’s embrace and celebrate
‘Cricket Ka Queendom’ 🫶🏽@JioCinema @wplt20
Beth Mooney you have no idea how many people wish they were you right now 😂🤣 Hands up if you wish you could have hugged by @iamsrk!! pic.twitter.com/prNH0KpOFx
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 23, 2024
Megu lost the match.😢😭
— Anonus Agnostus (@Antisocialhorn) February 23, 2024
Good fight though 💪🤜
dragged till last over.#WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/1xtdhHyHUz
What a start to the #WPL2024 6 off the last ball to win!!
— Jamie 🏏⚽ (@Jamie_roberts6) February 23, 2024
Fair play to @DelhiCapitals 👏 but that @mipaltan team is something else 🔥🏏
Kya hi match tha yaar 🥶#MIvsDC #WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/IjlOLVpkEF
— Darshan Jain (@DarshanJaipuria) February 23, 2024
Nice game to kick off #WPL2024. Winning six on the last ball is always exciting! #MIvsDC
— Akhil Kothi (@eleventhhourman) February 23, 2024
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