WPL 2024: 3 records that were broken during UPW's 7-wicket-win over MI in Match 6
The UP Warriorz (UPW) finally broke their losing streak in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 with a resounding win against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Bengaluru on February 28.
Mumbai were also handed their first loss of the season as their team underperformed in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur and Shabnim Ismail.
After being put to bat first, MI made 161 on the board. Opener Hayley Matthews was back in form as she made 55 off 47 balls. Yastika Bhatia (26) and Amelia Kerr (23) also contributed with the bat but MI failed to garner enough runs in the middle overs.
The UPW began their run-chase in a perfect fashion. Openers Alyssa Healy (33) and Kiran Navgire (57) took the MI bowlers to the cleaners and made 94 runs within the first nine overs.
While UPW lost three wickets in quick succession, a solid partnership of 65* runs between Grace Harris (38*) and Deepti Sharma (27*) sailed them over the finishing line.
Navgire was handed the Player of the Match for her quick-fire half-century.
The thrilling encounter also witnessed several records being broken. Here's a compilation of three such records.
#3 Highest powerplay score for UPW in WPL history
As mentioned earlier, the stand between Kiran Navgire and Alyssa Healy truly set the tone for the UP Warriorz in their run-chase. The two right-handers, who stitched a 94-run opening stand, took UPW's total to 61/0 on the powerplay.
They smashed the MI bowlers to all parts of the ground, thus registering UPW's highest powerplay total in WPL history. Previously, their highest score in the first six overs was 55/0, which came against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Brabourne Stadium in 2023.
#2 Nat Sciver-Brunt is the first player from England to lead a team in WPL
Harmanpreet Kaur had to sit out on Wednesday as she sustained a niggle right before the match. In her absence, the Mumbai Indians management gave the leadership duty to their star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt.
While she lost her maiden game as the MI captain, she became the first-ever player from England to lead a franchise in WPL history.
Before the match between MI and UPW, only players from India and Australia had led a team in the tournament.
#1 Fastest WPL fifty vs MI
Kiran Navgire played in the middle-order in the first two games and was looking a misfit as she scored just 11 runs in those games.
However, against MI, Navgire was handed the opportunity to open the innings and the youngester grabbed the chance with both hands. She came up with a blistering half-century and helped her franchise open their account in the competition.
The right-hander was dominating right from the start as she hammered six boundaries and four sixes to make her 57 off 31 balls. In fact, she reached to her fifty in only 25 balls, thus becoming the player with the fastest half-century against MI in WPL history.
She surpassed her teammate Tahlia McGrath and Delhi Capitals' Alice Capsey on the list. Both McGrath and Capsey recorded their fifties in 36 balls against the Mumbai franchise in 2023 and 2024, respectively.