"We were waiting for this tournament for a long time, and everyone did really well" - Harmanpreet Kaur on the inaugural edition of the WPL
Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led the franchise to the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) title following a seven-wicket win over the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday, March 26.
The first season of the WPL was a highly anticipated affair and it certainly did justice to expectations. The matches had the crowd hooked in Mumbai, leading to sold-out stadiums, especially during the business end of the tournament.
Branding WPL 2023 as a success and expecting next season to be a much more competitive affair, Harmanpreet said during a post-match press conference in Mumbai:
"We were waiting for this tournament for a long time, and everyone did really well. Not only our team, but I think credit goes to all the teams, they played really good cricket. All sides were well-balanced and it was an open tournament. The next season will be more exciting, people will be waiting for this now."
MI were off to a dominant start in the WPL, winning their first five matches and becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs.
However, they could not hold onto the top spot and had to play the Eliminator, with the Delhi Capitals (DC) benefitting from having a superior net run rate.
Woke up feeling like a champion. 🥹💙
@ImHarmanpreet | #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #AaliRe #WPL2023 #DCvMI #WPLFinal #ForTheW https://t.co/Ny9IyEQDtF
Stating that playing the Eliminator clash against UP Warriorz (UPW) was a blessing in disguise, Harmanpreet said:
"When we were at the top of the table, not playing the Eliminator was on our minds. But after losing those two back-to-back matches, we were looking for momentum. I think it was in our favor that we got a match before the final, where everyone got the momentum back. When you play after a break, it is hard to get that momentum back."
She continued:
"The self-belief of the side was very high from the start. The belief was that we have a very strong team and we can beat anyone on any given day."
MI defeated UPW comfortably, courtesy of Nat Sciver-Brunt's terrific performance. Mumbai were in a tricky situation during the final as well but pulled through and got to the line with a handful of deliveries to spare.
"If we win the moments, then the trophy will come automatically" - Harmanpreet Kaur
MI lost only two matches over the course of the campaign, showing their dominance. They announced their big ambitions at the auction itself with some aggressive bidding and their squad responded with a trophy in return.
Tonight's gonna be a good good night 🏆💙
#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #AaliRe #WPL2023 #DCvMI #WPLFinal #ForTheW https://t.co/qdN5Y7KYrA
Claiming that the squad was positive right from the start of the tournament, Harmanpreet said:
"I was positive the moment that we reached Bombay, everyone was only talking about what to do and how to do it. The whole squad was positive, we were only talking about winning the moments. If we win the moments, then the trophy will come automatically. I should credit the players, the support staff, everyone was just so positive."
Will MI retain their title in WPL 2024? Let us know what you think.