"We do have good players but sometimes things like this can happen" - Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's humbling nine-wicket loss to DC in WPL 2023 

Mumbai Indians (MI) women's team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur shed her thoughts following her side's eye-opening nine-wicket defeat to the Delhi Capitals (DC) in their penultimate league stage encounter on Monday, March 20 at the DY Patil Stadium.

While MI have secured their place in the playoffs on the back of five consecutive wins to start their campaign, they are yet to seal the top spot. After DC chased down a paltry 110-run target inside 11 overs, they claimed the top spot instead, leaving an exciting set of permutations and combinations for the final day of the group stage.

Opining that MI were well short of a par score on the surface, Harmapreet Kaur said during the post-match presentation:

“I think we were 40-50 runs short. We were looking for early breakthroughs but they batted very well. Dew was there but we didn’t bowl to our plans, we bowled really short today."

She continued:

"Well, we surely have to bat well now. We do have good players but sometimes things like this can happen. We won’t get overconfident now and stick to our basics."

The team never recovered from the double whammy inflicted by Marizanne Kapp in the second over, which included the wicket of the in-form Nat Sciver-Brunt for a golden duck. Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front with a brief cameo, but it was far from enough as they barely touched the three-figure mark for the innings.

"The bowling set up the game for us" - Meg Lanning on DC's defining win over MI

After restricting the opposition to just 109, DC's top order went all out to chase down the target in no time. Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma and Alice Capsey chipped in with valuable contributions to hand MI their second consecutive loss.

Speaking about the dominant performance, Meg Lanning stated during the post-match presentation:

"Was a great game. Kappie got us off to a great start and to chase it down like that, it is very special from the group. She is very talented. Always willing to learn and eager to play. To see her perform so well, pleased for her."

Lanning continued:

The bowling set up the game for us. I was quite happy with the blue. Just great to have the win tonight and looking forward to contribute tomorrow."

The Delhi Capitals (DC) will face the UP Warriorz (UPW) in their final group contest while Harmapreet Kaur and co. are scheduled to play the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the afternoon encounter.

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