WPL: Sciver-Brunt's knock, Wong's hat-trick takes Mumbai Indians into final

Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 25 (ANI): Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 72 followed by Issy Wong's hat-trick helped Mumbai Indians register a comprehensive win over UP Warriorz in the Eliminator of the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) here at DY Patil Sports Academy on Friday.

Sciver-Brunt slammed an unbeaten 72 off 38 deliveries while Issy Wong took four wickets which included a hat-trick to set a final clash with Delhi Capitals on Sunday.

Chasing a massive 183-run target, UP Warriorz got off to a poor start losing Shweta Sehrawat for 1 as slow left-arm orthodox Saika Ishaque dismissed her in the second over. Warriorz lost their first wicket for 8.

Two balls later, Issy Wong dismissed UP Warriorz skipper Alyssa Healy was caught by MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for 11.

UP Warriorz made things worse as they lost Tahila McGrath for 7 due to run out.

Kiran Navgire and Grace Harris struck a partnership to take their team's total beyond the 50-run mark in 6.4 overs.

The 35-run partnership was broken when Nat Sciver-Brunt dismissed Grace Harris for 14 as UP Warriorz lost their fourth wicket for 56 runs on board.

Deepti Sharma walked out to bat and struck a partnership with Navgire. In the 13th over Issy Wong wreaked havoc for UP Warriorz as the right-arm pacer got the prized scalp of Navgire for 43. Warriorz lost half of their side for 84. In the next ball, the Englishwoman dismissed Simran Shaikh for a golden duck by cleaning her up. Wong was on a hat-trick with two consecutive wickets and she achieved that by cleaning up Sophie Ecclestone too for a duck to leave UP Warriorz tottering at 84/7.

In the next over Hayley Matthews dismissed Deepti Sharma as Mumbai Indians inched closer to victory.

UP Warriorz scratched their way to triple figure mark in 15.5 overs. Warriorz lost their eighth wicket for 94.

Jintimani Kalita dismissed Anjali Sarvani for 5 as the chase became a distant dream for UP Warriorz. Rajeshwari Gayakwad's wicket taken by Saika Ishaque was the final nail in the coffin for UP Warriorz as MI registered a thumping 72-run win to enter the final.

Earlier in the day, after put to bat first, Mumbai Indians started their innings with a cracking four on the very first ball of the opening over. MI openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews rotated the strike brilliantly, not allowing the UP bowlers to settle down while whacking the loose balls on offer.

Yastika was the aggressor, smashing boundaries regularly. However, Yastika could not stand long at the crease as she was dismissed by Anjali Sarvani after scoring 21 runs off 18 deliveries.

Right-hander Nat Sciver-Brunt then came out to bat. The duo of Brunt and Matthews played cautiously, slamming boundaries at regular intervals.

Matthews's enterprising knock was cut short after 16-year-old Parshavi Chopra produced a stunning delivery to send back the Mumbai batter. She scored 26.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to the middle at the fall of Matthew's wicket. Brunt then opened up, as she slammed Parshavi for back-to-back sixes and boundaries in the 12th over of the game, garnering 16 runs.

Sophie Ecclestone then came up with a fine delivery to remove Harmanpreet for 14 in the 13th over.

Amelie Kerr replaced the skipper at the crease. Sciver-Brunt continued her red-hot form as she slammed UP bowlers all around the ground while also stealing singles and turning the strike over. Sciver-Brunt brought up her much-needed fifty off just 26 balls, in the 16th over of the innings.

Sciver-Brunt slammed Rajeshwari Gayakwad for back-to-back boundaries in the 17th over, scoring 13 runs.

Kerr, however, fell prey to Ecclestone at a score of 29. New batter Pooja Vastrakar and Sciver-Brunt hammered Deepti Sharma for 18 runs, slamming two sixes and one four in the last over, to guide their team's total to 182/4 in 20 overs.

Brief score: Mumbai Indians 182/4 (Nat Sciver-Brunt 72*, Amelie Kerr 29; Sophie Ecclestone 2-39) vs UP Warriorz 110/4 (Kiran Navgire 43; Issy Wong 4/15). (ANI)