"No team can stop you from winning if you have such a player" - Punam Raut lauds Nat Sciver-Brunt's knock in WPL 2023 final

Punam Raut has lauded Nat Sciver-Brunt for playing a match-winning knock for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the WPL 2023 final against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Capitals set Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. a 132-run target after opting to bat first at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 26. Sciver-Brunt then scored an unbeaten 60 off 55 balls as MI chased down the target with seven wickets and three deliveries to spare to become the inaugural Women's Premier League champions.

During a post-match discussion on Sports18, Raut was asked about her thoughts on Nat Sciver-Brunt's knock, to which she responded:

"No team can stop you from winning if you have such a player in your team. I have always been her fan, the way she makes a comeback in big games. She enjoys playing under pressure. It is praiseworthy that she raises her game in such big matches."

The cricketer-turned-commentator praised the England all-rounder for pacing her innings immaculately, explaining:

"She did not get too many loose balls but the way she built her innings, converting singles into doubles, scored a lot of runs through running between the wickets. She didn't play too many big shots. She took full responsibility after getting set and that is what she is known for."

Sciver-Brunt did not hit a six but struck seven fours during her innings. She scored only 29 runs off the first 40 balls she faced before smashing 31 runs off the next 15 deliveries.

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"She knows how to handle pressure in knockout games" - Reema Malhotra on Nat Sciver-Brunt

Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed an unbeaten 72 in the Eliminator against the UP Warriorz. [P/C: WPL/Twitter]

Reema Malhotra was asked about Nat Sciver-Brunt delivering the goods for the Mumbai Indians in both the Eliminator and the final, to which she replied:

"The way the last two matches have gone for her, she knows how to handle pressure in knockout games. That is why she is rated very highly in England. She was made the vice-captain also and was given an opportunity to lead as well."

The former Indian all-rounder believes Sciver-Brunt was an excellent acquisition for MI at the auction, reasoning:

"I feel it was a great pick by the Mumbai Indians at the auction because they knew that she is a new-ball bowler, with swing as her strength. But the way she has shown her dominance while batting at No. 3, she might be second in the top run-getters list but has played a lot of match-winning knocks."

The Mumbai Indians bought Sciver-Brunt for ₹3.2 crore at the WPL 2023 auction. The all-rounder repaid the franchise for the faith shown in her, amassing 332 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 140.08 and picking up 10 wickets at a decent economy rate of 7.12.