Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet power Mumbai Indians to second WPL title

Mumbai Indians 149 for 7 (Harmanpreet 66, Sciver-Brunt 30, Kapp 2-11, Jonassen 2-26) defeated Delhi Capitals 141 for 9 (Kapp 40, Rodrigues 30, Sciver-Brunt 3-30) by eight runs

Mumbai Indians clinched their second Women's Premier League title in three years, successfully defending a total of 149 for 7, leaving Delhi Capitals to finish runners-up for the third consecutive season.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, who became the first player to reach 1000 WPL runs, and Harmanpreet Kaur, who crossed 300 runs in a season for the first time, were once again instrumental for Mumbai Indians. The pair combined for an 89-run partnership for the third wicket, rescuing MI after a rocky start. Harmanpreet struck an elegant half-century, scoring 66 off 36 balls, anchoring MI to a competitive total.

Chasing 150, Delhi Capitals were quickly in trouble, but a spirited late rally led by Marizanne Kapp brought them close. Kapp’s aggressive 40 off 26 balls, including a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 40 from 29 balls with Niki Prasad, reduced the target to just 23 from the final two overs, and eventually 14 off the final over after Prasad launched Hayley Matthews for a six. However, Sciver-Brunt intervened decisively, dismissing Kapp and effectively ending DC’s comeback attempt, leaving them short by eight runs.

This marked the fifth consecutive match—and fourth at Brabourne Stadium this season—where the team batting first emerged victorious. It was also only the fourth time in WPL history a total of 150 or less was successfully defended; notably, Delhi Capitals have been on the losing end in three of those matches.

A near match-winning effort from Kapp

Delhi’s chase began disastrously, losing wickets quickly and slumping to 44 for 4, and then 66 for 5 after Jemimah Rodrigues’ dismissal. When Sarah Bryce was run out, leaving DC reeling at 83 for 6, it seemed the game was slipping away.

However, Marizanne Kapp wasn’t ready to surrender easily. Having earlier bowled brilliantly with 2 for 11, she counterattacked aggressively. Kapp pulled a short delivery from Sciver-Brunt over midwicket for six, executed stylish leg-side boundaries, and hit two consecutive fours off Matthews. Her impressive sequence of 4, 6, and 4 off Saika Ishaque suddenly made the chase look achievable, as DC needed 35 off 24 balls. Prasad then added further momentum by hitting a boundary off Shabnim Ismail, leaving just 23 required off 18 balls.

The Brabourne Stadium erupted, backing Kapp’s spirited knock. But the turning point came when Sciver-Brunt induced a mistimed shot from Kapp, caught by Matthews at long-off. With that dismissal, Delhi's hopes collapsed, as captain Meg Lanning’s stunned look illustrated the depth of their disappointment.

Early breakthroughs from Kapp and Pandey

Choosing to bowl first on a fresh Brabourne Stadium pitch, Delhi's new-ball bowlers Marizanne Kapp and Shikha Pandey immediately made life difficult for MI's openers. Matthews struggled against Kapp, eventually losing her stumps to a straighter delivery, marking the 11th time Kapp dismissed her in women's T20s. Pandey complemented this by tightening the screws from the opposite end, allowing no relief for Yastika Bhatia, who eventually succumbed by driving straight into Jemimah Rodrigues’ grasp at cover. These early strikes meant Mumbai could manage only 20 for 2 in the powerplay, their second-lowest in WPL history.

Harmanpreet rescues Mumbai with a classy fifty

Initially, Mumbai appeared destined for a below-average total, similar to previous WPL finals. Delhi's disciplined bowling attack, especially Marizanne Kapp’s economical spell completed upfront, held Mumbai back early. However, Harmanpreet took charge with elegance, shifting momentum decisively in MI's favor. In the five overs after a sluggish first eight, Mumbai exploded for 59 runs.

Harmanpreet’s innings included a powerful pull-shot six off Annabel Sutherland and three consecutive fours off Jess Jonassen, a bowler who often troubled her in international cricket. Another standout moment came against Minnu Mani’s spin, when she beautifully whipped the ball through square leg purely with her wrists. Harmanpreet's third fifty of the season transformed MI's innings dramatically.

Late wickets insufficient for Delhi

Expecting minimal dew, DC included spinner N Shree Charani instead of Titas Sadhu, signaling confidence in the spinner ahead of Radha Yadav. Charani repaid the faith partially by breaking the threatening 89-run third-wicket stand between Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet after conceding 12 runs in her first over.

Annabel Sutherland removed Harmanpreet shortly afterward, triggering a collapse from 102 for 2 to 118 for 6. Despite losing five wickets for just 45 runs in the last five overs, Mumbai squeezed out crucial late runs, adding 25 in the final two overs to set a competitive target. On a different day, Delhi’s strong finish with the ball could have proved decisive, but not this time.

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