WPL 2023 Eliminator, Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz Highlights: Issy Wong Stars With Hat-trick As MI Outplay UPW To Enter Final

Right then, the two best teams in the competition, Delhi and Mumbai will now fight it out in the grand finale of what has been a fantastic tournament. The final will be played on Sunday, 26th of March at the jam-packed Brabourne Stadium. That game will start at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). Do join us for the build-up. Cheers!

Natalie Sciver-Burnt is the PLAYER OF THE GAME for her sublime hitting and also for a decent bowling performance. She says that the crowd was incredible in this game and Issy Wong taking the hat trick was incredible as well. Adds that she is enjoying batting at number 3 and they needed to put on a good score and she surprised herself a bit as well with a couple of shots. She then jokingly thanks Sophie Ecclestone for dropping her catch early on and mentions that Sophie Ecclestone generally takes those catches. Ends by saying that she is looking forward to the final and they will now simply reset for that game.

Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper of Mumbai says that they have a very decent bowling attack and they were confident that anyone of the bowlers can take wickets. Tells that Issy Wong is an exciting talent and feels that she bowled brilliantly. Says that Natalie Sciver-Brunt is a big player for them and it is great to see her score runs. Mentions that young girls have been doing very well in the field and working hard and adds that they bring a lot of energy to the field. Signs off by saying that Delhi is a very good side and they just want to enjoy the final game.

Time for the Presentation.

Issy Wong, the player of the moment is down for a chat. She says that Natalie Sciver-Brunt deserves the player of the match award and she turned the game on its head. Says that it has been a whirlwind of a couple of weeks and she has put in some real hard yards in the last couple of months and it has been very rewarding which feels good. Adds that under lights here it has swung throughout the tournament and it is about getting the seam position right. On the hat-trick delivery, she says that she was simply trying to get in the yorker and last time Sophie Ecclestone had got the better of her as well but she is a good friend. Mentions that you don't enter competitions to win the semi-finals but to play good cricket and lift the trophy.

Alyssa Healy, the captain of UP says that she would still have bowled first and if they catch Natalie Sciver-Brunt on 6, then things would be different and they weren't able to get into the chase. On Natalie Sciver-Brunt's catch, she says that she might get fined if she said anything but feels it felt good in real-time and Anjali Sarvani claimed it as well. Mentions that their strength throughout the tournament was to hang in there and it just didn't come together with either bat or ball in this game and reckons the two best teams have gone through to the finals. Says that for their group it wasn't necessarily about winning the trophy and reckons what they have at this franchise is something special and hopefully they can build on it. On Kiran Navgire's power-hitting ability, she says that she hits the ball for fun and hits it a long way as well.

Time for some interviews...

UP, on the other hand, were heavily dependent on their Aussie trio of Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris in the batting department and all three of them failed to deliver in this game. Kiran Navgire was the only shining light with 43 off 27 balls but with no one to support her, UP just were always behind the game. Earlier with the ball, they leaked plenty of runs at the death and that dropped catch of Natalie Sciver-Brunt when she was on just 6 cost them heavily in the end. They did well to get to the Eliminator though but could not match the class of Mumbai in this game.

Mumbai were the stronger team on paper and they showed all their class in this game by almost playing a perfect game. The win was set up in the first innings with Natalie Sciver-Brunt leading the charge and others around her chipping in with handy cameos. They got over 180 on the board and then their bowlers started with a bang by picking three wickets in the Powerplay. Harmanpreet Kaur then mixed up her bowlers brilliantly and though Kiran Navgire did hit some lusty blows, the hat-trick by Wong in the 13th over just killed the chase. Mumbai were brilliant with their catching and ground fielding too and Amanjot Kaur’s run out of Tahlia McGrath was one of the turning points of the game.

Mumbai storm into the final of this spectacular inaugural season of the Women’s T20 League! The crowd is ecstatic and so are the Mumbai players, they were too strong for UP in this big game and will lock horns with Delhi now in the summit clash of the tournament.

OUT! LBW! That's it, Saika Ishaque picks up the final wicket and MUMBAI ARE IN THE FINAL! Bowls this one flatter on middle, and angles it in. Rajeshwari Gayakwad hangs back but is late to get her bat down. The ball pings her on the pads in front of the stumps and after half an appeal the finger is raised. Gayakawad has a chat with Parshavi Chopra but it is plumb enough not to review and UP have been bowled out for 110. MUMBAI WIN BY 72 RUNS!

Angles this one in flatter and into middle. Rajeshwari Gayakwad looks to pull but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Short and wide again, hit away uppishly again but in front of cover-point.

FOUR! Through! Drops it short and bowls it outside off, Rajeshwari Gayakwad stays back and cuts it uppishly wide of backward point for a boundary.

Parshavi Chopra survives the over! Good length outside off, hit away to the cover region.

Length again, in that channel around off, Parshavi Chopra looks to cover drive but is beaten past the outside edge.

Fullish length on middle, Parshavi Chopra drives it a bit uppishly toward mid on.

WIDE! Length ball, pushed well outside the off stump and shapes further away. Parshavi Chopra slashes but misses and a wide is signalled.

Pitches this one up and angles it into off stump. Parshavi Chopra eases it back to the bowler.

WIDE! Slower bumper, banged in well outside off and a wide ia called.