[WATCH] Tanuja Kanwar dismiss Yastika Bhatia to pick the first wicket in WPL 2023
Gujarat Giants spinner Tanuja Kanwar became the first bowler to pick up a wicket in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023.
The much-anticipated WPL got underway with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Giants (GG) locking horns in the tournament opener on Saturday (March 4) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Gujarat skipper Beth Mooney won the toss and asked Harmanpreet Kaur's side to bat first on a batting-friendly surface.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews opened the innings for MI, while Australian off-spinner Ashleigh Garner took the new ball for the Giants.
Yastika played four dot balls before plundering a single as Gardner conceded just two runs in the first over of the WPL.
Matthews didn't allow fast bowler Mansi Joshi a decent start to the tournament, smashing her for a six and four in the first two balls of the second over. The bowler recovered back with just two runs coming from the last four balls, including one wide.
Himachal Pradesh left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar came in to bowl the third over and dismissed Yastika on the third delivery.
Tanuja bowled a loopy delivery wide of the off-stump with Yastika looking to drive over the fielders inside the circle but was caught by Georgia Wareham near the cover-point.
ICYMI!
Tanuja Kanwar scalps the first wicket in the history of #TATAWPL 👏👏
#MI move to 22-1 after 4 overs.
#GGvMI https://t.co/uNz3qjWy85
Mumbai Indians lose three wickets at the 10-over mark
Yastika departed cheaply for 1 off 8. Nat Sciver-Brunt joined forces with Matthews at the crease.
The England player pulled one off Joshi over square leg for her first boundary before hitting left-arm pacer Monica Patel for back-to-back boundaries.
Tanuja returned to bowl the final over of the powerplay but Matthews and Sciver-Brunt hit one boundary each against the left-arm spinner as MI scored 44 runs after six overs.
Powerplay ✅
#MI move to 44/1 after 6 overs
Hayley Matthews (22*) and Natalie Sciver (18*) are at the crease
#TATAWPL https://t.co/qYVH1F4deV
Matthews pummeled three sixes after the field restrictions were taken off. Wareham got the wicket of Sciver-Brunt as Sneh Rana took a great catch at mid-off. Garner cleaned up Matthews with an off-breaker as Mumbai Indians were 77 for 3 at the halfway stage.