Mumbai versus Giants, take two!
A high-scoring yet lopsided contest between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants kicked off the WPL. Thereon, Mumbai have soared and stayed winless. But Giants find themselves in the bottom half of the table with just one win out of four games.
Inexplicably, they opted to bring in new recruit Laura Wolvaardt for Sophia Dunkley, whose 18-ball half-century made her one of only two Giants batters to have a fifty-plus score. Their batting has been blowing hot and cold and their death bowling could be filed under 'areas of concern'. Giants' economy of 14.71 in overs 17 to 20 is the worst - UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals are joint-next with 10.
Mumbai, on the other hand, faced a tough test against Warriorz on Sunday but came out on top. It was the first time they picked less than two wickets in the powerplay but managed to pull the game back at the death. Their batting is still largely untested with the top and middle order doing the bulk.
Player to watch
Fast bowler Issy Wong has been a quiet contributor for Mumbai in their campaign so far. She's been their most economical bowler and has rattled oppositions with swing and pace upfront before returning at the death.
Giants opener S Meghana is yet to get going. She has only 34 runs in four innings with a duck in the last outing. But Giants' head coach Rachael Haynes has backed Meghana to deliver soon in what she described as a "high-risk role". Haynes also said that Meghana struck the ball well in training on Monday.
Gujarat Giants player says "We improved over the last games but we still have much more to do"
Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians (possible): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Dhara Gujjar, 7 Issy Wong, 8 Humaria Kazi, 9 Amanjot Kaur, 10 Jintimani Kalita, 11 Saika Ishaque
Gujarat Giants (possible): 1 S Meghana, 2 Sophia Dunkley, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Ashleigh Gardner, 5 Laura Wolvaardt, 6 D Hemalatha, 7 Sushma Verma (wk), 8 Kim Garth/Georgia Wareham, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Tanuja Kanwar, 11 Mansi Joshi
Stats and trivia
Mumbai's death-overs economy rate of 5.29 is the best, in stark contrast with Giants' 14.71
Harleen Deol is the only Giants batter with over 100 runs in the WPL
Quotes
"My focus is on the processes. If I waver from the process and focus on the result, then I am doing something wrong. If I am getting out by following the process, it is fair enough because no one can always score. I enjoy batting at the top of the order as it allows me time to settle."
Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia on her form in the WPL
"To leave a batter out who had performed for us in the game before, I am not sure that was the right call. We have only had two players in the tournament who have made a half-century, and Dunks played one of the best opening innings I have seen in quite some time. We need form players playing most innings and most balls in the competition."
Gujarat Giants head coach Rachael Haynes on the call to leave out Sophia Dunkley in their previous match
