Matthews outshines Dottin in MI win

Hayley Matthews made a telling impact with the ball as Mumbai Indians beat her fellow Barbados and West Indies teammate Deandra Dottin’s Gujarat Giants by nine runs to join leaders Delhi Capitals on points at the top of the Women’s Super League.

 

Playing at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, India, off-spinner Matthews picked up three for 38 to help Mumbai defend a total of 179 and move to 10 points in the five-team standings. Capitals remain in the lead courtesy of net run rate.

 

Bharti Fulmali top-scored with a sparkling 61 off 25 deliveries while Harleen Deol chipped in with 24 off 17 balls but Dottin failed, scoring only 10 as Giants came up short after needing 13 from the final over sent down by a composed Matthews.

 

Earlier, the Barbados and West Indies captain scored 27 at the top of the order, providing support for top-scorer and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who punched 54 off 33 balls, as Mumbai rallied to 179 for six from their 20 overs

Nat Sciver-Brunt struck 38 from 31 balls while Amanjot Kaur chimed in with a 15-ball 27.

 

Sent in, the home side benefitted from Matthews’ enterprise after Amelia Kerr fell cheaply for five in the third over, the right-hander stroking three fours and two sixes in a 29-run, second wicket stand with Sciver-Brunt.

 

When Matthews edged a cut at 20-year-old leg-spinner Priya Mishra and was taken behind, Harmanpreet took charge of the innings, striking nine fours in a 59-run, third wicket stand with Sciver-Brunt, before anchoring stands of 33 with Amanjot for the fourth wicket and 28 with Sajeevan Sajana (11 not out) for the fifth wicket.

 

Dottin struggled to have any real impact, sending down four wicket-less overs for 44 runs.

 

Giants’ chase started poorly when Beth Mooney (7) perished at the start of the fourth over with the score on 15, and after Deol put on 25 for the second wicket with Kashvee Gautam (10), the innings spiraled to be 92 for six at the start of the 14th over.

 

Dottin capped off the slump, bowled by leg-spinner Kerr (3-34) missing a cross-batted stroke.

 

Fulmari then launched a courageous counterattack, blasting eight fours and four sixes to rattle Mumbai in a 50-run, seventh wicket stand with Simran Shaikh (18) off just 24 deliveries.

 

Kerr removed Fulmali to a catch at short third man at the end of the 17th over and Tanuja Kanwar (10) joined Simran to make a fist of it in a 26-run, eighth wicket stand, before the chase fizzled out.

(BT)