WPL: Clinical Delhi Capitals move to top with 9-wicket win over Mumbai Indians

BENGALURU: Delhi Capitals reclaimed its spot at the summit with utter dominance against Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Women’s Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.

Jess Jonassen and Minnu Mani played a starring role with the ball, while Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma’s opening blitz raised Delhi Capitals to an emphatic 9-wicket win in a low-scoring affair.

Jonassen’s spin attack shattered MI’s hopes of asserting control in the first innings itself. She returned with figures of 3/25 and was crowned with the Player of the Match award. Lanning and Shafali broke the back of MI’s defence of 123/9 with their ruthless approach.

In pursuit of a paltry 124-run target, the formidable opening pair of Lanning (60* off 49) and Shafali Verma (43 off 28) raised the bar. The young Indian played the aggressor’s role. She got to business without wasting any time and hammered 16 runs in the fourth over.

Lanning’s masterclass complemented Shafali’s fearless and aggressive stroke play. The DC skipper showcased her trademark composure as the duo brought up a fifty-run opening stand, propelling DC to 56/0 in the powerplay.

MI desperately hunted for a breakthrough, and to push for it, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur introduced Amelia Kerr into the attack. However, Shafali ruined the MI skipper’s blueprint by launching two towering sixes to push Delhi closer to victory.

By the ninth over, the game was close to its conclusion as DC had raced to 82/0. Shafali looked bound for a well-deserved fifty, but Amanjot Kaur broke the stand with a stunning boundary catch by Kerr.

The wicket that MI needed came quite late. Lanning stayed at the crease, brought up her second fifty of the season and steered DC to a nine-wicket win.

Earlier in the match, after DC put MI to bat, openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews showed positive intent. Matthews relentlessly attacked Jonassen early, hitting back-to-back boundaries, but Shikha Pandey provided the breakthrough by removing Yastika for 11(10).

The floodgates opened, and Annabel Sutherland capitalised on the opportunity by removing Matthews on 22(25). DC tightened its grip on MI’s neck as Harmanpreet and Nat Sciver-Brunt tried to rebuild.

But Jonassen outfoxed both batters with her spin traps. She increased MI’s troubles with a well-disguised arm ball and removed Harmanpreet. MI’s troubles deepened when Sciver-Brunt, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, fell to a sharp caught-and-bowled by Jonassen.

Minnu Mani continued DC’s onslaught and dented MI’s innings. She removed Sajana and Amelia Kerr in quick succession. Sutherland came back to haunt the Mumbai Indians with a spectacular diving catch to remove Kerr off Minnu.

Jonassen came in and wrapped up her stellar spell by dismissing G Kamalini, sealing MI’s collapse and clinching figures of 3/25. Minnu Mani played her part and clinched a three-wicket haul in her three-over spell.

Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 123/9 (Hayley Matthews 22, Harmanpreet Kar 22; Jess Jonassen 3/25) vs Delhi Capitals 124/1 (Meg Lanning 60*, Shafali Verma 43; Amanjot Kaur 1-12). (ANI)