IMAGES from the WPL match played between RCB and Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on Monday.
Mumbai Indians cruised to their second consecutive win in the Women's Premier League on Monday with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who succumbed to their second defeat in as many days.
Chasing 156, an all-round show from Hayley Matthews helped Mumbai Indians to consolidate their position at the top of the WPL points table. The West Indian picked up three wickets and capped the day by scoring a 38-ball 77 – hitting 13 boundaries and a six.
Mumbai Indians, who won the first game by 143 runs against Gujarat Giants, now have four points from two matches with a net run rate (NRR) of 5.185.
Matthews yet again forged a defining partnership with England's Nat Sciver-Brunt, with the two right-handed batters hammering the RCB bowlers all over the park to put on an unbeaten 114-run stand for the second wicket.
If Matthews produced an all-round show to help Mumbai Indians to their second win, the uncapped Saika Ishaque also impressed once again, grabbing two wickets and taking her tally in the tournament to six.
Nat Sciver-Brunt, who couldn't get a good start in the opening game, made up for the disappointment on Monday by cracking an unbeaten 55 off 29 balls, studded with 10 fours and a six.
'Player of the Match' Matthews picked up from where she had left off at the DY Patil Stadium the other night, playing her strokes with power, precision and command.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians' Hayley Matthews (3/28), Saika Ishaque (2/26) and Amelia Kerr (2/30) impressed but Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to set a 156-run target.
RCB, coming off a 60-run defeat against Delhi Capitals, chose to bat at the Brabourne Stadium. They suffered a collapse but managed to put up a competitive target, courtesy valuable contributions from lower-order batters Richa Ghosh (28), Kanika Ahuja (22), debutant Shreyanka Patil (23) and Megan Schutt (20).
Smriti Mandhana hit a four each off Matthews in the first over and off Nat Sciver-Brunt in the second, to help her side get early momentum. The left-handed batter then smacked Isabelle Wong for three fours in the fourth over, helping RCB to a comfortable 39 for no loss.
But soon RCB suffered a batting collapse, losing four wickets in eight deliveries to slip from 39/0 in 4.1 overs to 43/4 in 5.3 overs.
RCB were finally bowled out for 155 in 18.4 overs.
Saika Ishaque, who produced a match-winning spell of 4/11 against Gujarat Giants, provided Mumbai Indians with the first breakthrough when she had Sophie Devine (16) caught at deep midwicket by Amanjot Kaur.
Two deliveries later, Saika cleaned up Disha Kasat on her RCB debut for a second-ball duck.
Matthews returned for her second over to claim the big wicket of Mandhana, caught by Wong. The West Indian got the next delivery to turn sharply into Heather Knight, who was bamboozled for a golden duck.
In the eighth over, Ghosh survived a caught behind appeal off Nat Sciver-Brunt off a short ball. Mumbai opted for a review, which confirmed there was no edge off the bat.
Ghosh, however, was involved in the run-out of Ellyse Perry in the ninth over. The Australian batter cut a short ball from Saika and set off for a run, only to be asked to turn back by Ghosh.
By then, Humaira Kazi from short-third man had launched a perfect direct throw that caught Perry way short of the crease.
The 20-year-old Punjab and RCB all-rounder Kanika Ahuja played a spirited knock in the company of Ghosh, showing great intent while taking the attack to the opposition. After hitting Kerr for a four and a six in the 11th over, she got two boundaries against Jintimani Kalita in the next over.
But a mis-hit off India and Mumbai seamer Pooja Vastrakar ended her innings for 22 off 13 balls with three fours and a six in the 13th over, with Yastika Bhatia taking a comfortable catch.
Matthews returned in the 14th over to end Ghosh's (28 off 26 balls, 3x4s, 1x6s) stay for her third wicket, getting her caught at deep midwicket. She nearly had her fourth wicket in the game but dropped a sharp return catch from Renuka Thakur towards the end.
RCB made one change, bringing in all-rounder Shreyanka Patil in place of Sobhana Asha.
