Matthews, Sciver-Brunt carry MI into 2nd final

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews carried Mumbai Indians to their second WPL final as their power-packed knocks laid the cornerstone for the team's 47-run win over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator here on Thursday.

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After a rather sedate powerplay, Sciver-Brunt (77 off 41) and Matthews (77 off 50) displayed brute force to fire Mumbai Indians to a daunting 213/4.

Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (36 off 12) provided the finishing touches with a crisp cameo.

After an ordinary show in the field and with the ball, the Giants were on self-destructing mode in the chase with three run-outs being an indicator of that.

Their innings ended at 166 all out in 19.2 overs with Matthews also chipping in with the ball, striking thrice.

It was Mumbai Indians' seventh straight win over the Giants in WPL history. Mumbai Indians, who won the inaugural edition in 2023, will meet Delhi Capitals in the final on Saturday.

Debutant Daniell Gibson (34 off 24) and Phoebe Litchfield (31 off 20) looked in threatening touch but regular fall of wickets kept pegging the Giants back.

Skipper Ashleigh Gardner, who bailed her team out on multiple occasions, had an off day with the bat.

Indian batter Bharti Fulmali delayed the inevitable with an impressive 30 off 20 balls. Having finished last in the past two seasons, reaching the knockout stage was a welcome result for Gujarat Giants.

Earlier, Sciver-Brunt, who forms the backbone of Mumbai Indians’ batting, disdainfully smashed pacers and spinners, collecting 10 fours and two sixes in the process.

Realising Mumbai had got only 37 in the powerplay, Matthews and Sciver-Brunt changed gears.

While the England batter took the attack to pacer Gibson, Matthews hammered three consecutive boundaries off leg-spinner Priya Mishra.

Matthews, who began cautiously before cutting loose, got to her fifty with a six off left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwer.

In the death overs, it was raining sixes from the bat of Harmanpreet who cleared the ropes four times in her sizzling effort. Mumbai Indians smashed 73 in the last five overs.

Brief scores: Mumbai Indians: 213/4 (Sciver-Brunt 77, Matthews 77, Harmanpreet 36; Gibson 2/40); Gujarat Giants: 166 (Gibson 34, Litchfield 31; Matthews 3/31, Kerr 2/28).