Matthews' 77* from 38 balls & 3/28 give MI commanding 9-wkt win
MUMBAI: In T20s, the complexion of a match changes in the blink of an eye. Mumbai Indians, though, kept their eyes wide open, stayed composed and executed their plans to perfection to record a convincing nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, their second on the trot in the Women's Premier League, at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday. In the process, they also asserted that their power-packed performance in the tournament opener against Gujarat Giants was no fluke.
It started with their bowlers, who didn't sway away from their plans and kept the RCB batters on a tight leash every time. The batters then followed the same template, attacking the fragile RCB bowling to canter to victory in 14.2 overs.
Leading them in both departments was West Indies allrounder Hayley Matthews. With her off-spin she finished as MI's top-wicket taker with figures of 3/28, which included back-to-back scalps of RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana (23; 17b; 5x4) and Heather Knight (0) in her second over.
1/10:WPL: Hayley Matthews stars in Mumbai Indians win over RCB
PTI
2/10:MI beat RCB
<p>Mumbai Indians registered a convincing nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, their second on the trot in the Women's Premier League, at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday. </p>ANI
3/10:MI bowlers
<p>It started with their bowlers, who didn't sway away from their plans and kept the RCB batters on a tight leash every time. </p>PTI
4/10:MI batters
<p>The MI batters then followed the same template, attacking the fragile RCB bowling to canter to victory in 14.2 overs. </p>PTI
5/10:Hayley Matthews
<p>Leading MI in both departments was West Indies allrounder Hayley Matthews. </p>IANS
6/10:Smriti Mandhana
<p>Hayley's 3/28 included back-to-back scalps of RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana (23; 17b; 5x4) and Heather Knight (0) in her second over. </p>PTI
7/10:Chase master
<p>Hayley then bossed the lackadaisical RCB bowling with her whirlwind unbeaten knock of 77 from 38 balls, which was laced with 13 fours and one six.</p>PTI
8/10:The platform
<p>Hayley first shared a 45-run partnership for the opening wicket with Yastika Bhatia (23, 19b; 4x4) which set the platform for MI. </p>PTI
9/10:MI over the line with ease
<p>Hayley then churned out an unbeaten 114-run stand for the second wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt (55*, 29b; 9x4, 1x6) which took MI over the line with ease. </p>PTI
10/10:2nd win on the trot
<p>The victory strengthened MI's resolve and gives them confidence in the matches that will follow. </p>PTIThe 24-year-old then bossed the lackadaisical RCB bowling with her whirlwind unbeaten knock of 77 from 38 balls, which was laced with 13 fours and one six. She first shared a 45-run partnership for the opening wicket with Yastika Bhatia (23, 19b; 4x4) which set the platform for MI and then churned out an unbeaten 114-run stand for the second wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt (55*, 29b; 9x4, 1x6) which took MI over the line with ease.
While the victory strengthens MI's resolve and gives them confidence in the matches that will follow, two demoralising defeats has left RCB with a lot of questions to answer as one of the strongest teams on paper failed to deliver for the second match in a row.
Earlier, RCB got a decent start, reaching 39 for no loss in 4. 1 overs with Mandhana and Sophie Devine (16; 11b; 2x4, 1x6) settling into a nice rhythm. But as both looked to up the ante, all hell broke loose for them as they lost four wickets in eight balls.
Left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque (2/26), who had taken 4/11 in MI's opener against Gujarat Giants, started RCB's slide with her twin strikes in the fifth over. She first had Devine holed out to the lone fielder patrolling the deep mid-wicket boundary and two balls later castled Disha Kasat (0) to reduce them to 39 for two.
In the next over, Matthews landed twin blows of her own when she had Mandhana and Knight dismissed in back-to-back deliveries. She first foxed Mandhana, who stepped out to deposit her over long-off boundary but could only slice it to Issy Wong at point. Next delivery, Matthews cleaned up Knight for a duck to leave RCB at 43 for four.
Ellyse Perry (13; 7b; 1x4, 1x6) looked good while she was at the crease but a mix-up with Richa Ghosh (28; 26b; 3x4, 1x6) led to her being run-out. It reduced RCB to 71 for five. That was a bonus wicket for MI and came against the run of play, just when RCB looked like they had regrouped and were preparing to launch a comeback.
RCB would have liked Ghosh to carry her bat once she had settled. But the 19-year-old couldn't resist the temptation of hitting one out of the park. The wicketkeeper-batter hoicked one from Sciver-Brunt (1/34) towards mid-wicket but straight into the hands of Matthews at deep mid-wicket.
Only the useful contributions by the lower middle-order hauled them beyond the 150-run mark. That included cameos by Kanika Ahuja (22, 13b; 3x4, 1x6), Shreyanka Patil (23, 15b; 3x4) and Megan Schutt(20, 14b; 3x4) but in the end it wasn't enough on a track that was full of runs.
