MI vs UPW: What happened in yesterday’s match at WPL 2024?

UP Warriorz (UPW) beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets in yesterday’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. With the triumph, UPW registered their first win in the tournament after two losses, while MI succumbed to their first defeat after beginning this year’s edition with two victories.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, UP Warriorz did a good job to restrict the defending champions to 161/6. Mumbai were missing their captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who sat out due to a niggle. Her absence in the batting department was clearly felt as MI could never accelerate the innings. Kiran Navgire then set up the chase for UPW, hammering 57 off 31, as they got home in 16.3 overs.

Earlier, MI openers Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia featured in a 50-run stand, but it did not come at a swift pace. The partnership was broken at the end of the eighth over as Bhatia (26 off 22) pulled a shortish delivery from Grace Harris to short midwicket. After a slow start, Matthews broke free by smashing Deepti Sharma for three fours in the 10th over as Mumbai reached 71/1.

The batting side, however, suffered a massive blow as stand-in skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt (19) was run out following a horrible mix-up with Matthews. Both batters were stranded in the middle of the pitch and Matthews was willing to sacrifice her wicket, but Sophie Ecclestone relayed the throw to the keeper’s end to catch Sciver-Brunt short of her crease.

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Matthews went on to register her first half-century of the season before falling to Rajeshwari Gayakwad for 55 off 47 balls. She was smartly caught at long on by Harris. All-rounder Amelia Kerr contributed a handy 23 off 16, but was trapped lbw by Deepti as she attempted to sweep a full ball. Issy Wong came in and hit a six right away, finishing with a nice cameo of 15* in six balls.

Kiran Navgire leads UP Warriorz’ chase

In the chase, UP Warriorz decided to open with the big-hitting Kiran Navgire instead of Vrinda Dinesh and the move immediately paid dividends. Navgire and skipper Alyssa Healy added 94 in 9.1 overs to get their side off to a blazing start.

Navgire went after Wong in the third over and clobbered her for four fours. She smacked a six off Saika Ishaque over the bowler’s head in the sixth over as UPW finished the powerplay strongly at 61/0. With consecutive sixes off Matthews in the eighth over - the first one being a tough chance for Wong on the boundary - Navgire reached a 25-ball fifty.

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The rollicking opening stand was broken when Navgire was stumped off Kerr at the start of the 10th over. Wong then trapped Tahlia McGrath (1) lbw with one that nipped back sharply.

In the same over, Healy (33 off 29) guided a full delivery outside off to backward point. However, Harris (38* off 17) and Deepti (27* off 20) featured in an unbroken 65-run stand for the fourth wicket to take UPW home to a thumping win.

Who won Player of the Match in yesterday’s MI vs UPW WPL 2024 match?

Harris had a good all-round game for UP Warriorz. She registered economical figures of 1/20 and then played a typically aggressive innings in the chase. Navgire was outstanding with the bat, clobbering six fours and four sixes.

For Mumbai Indians, Matthews scored a hard-fought half-century, while Kerr again contributed with both bat and ball.

Navgire was named Player of the Match for her dazzling innings in the chase.