MI vs UPW: The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 saw a thrilling encounter on March 6, with Mumbai Indians defeating UP Warriors by 6 wickets with an all-round performance. The match was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow and saw Mumbai Indians continue their good run with an all-round show in all departments. The win was their fourth this season, Hayley became the architect of the victory with 2 wickets while bowling and a knock of 68 runs making her the Player of the match.
UP Warriors Set a Respectable Target
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Setting a target score of 151 runs to be chased by Mumbai Indians, UP Warriors were the first to step onto the pitch. A few highs apart, the Warriors could not build on a good start and then finished with the score of 150 for 9 in their 20 overs. The best of UP Warriorz batswomen was opener, Georgia Wall, scoring a perfectly-controlled 55.
Wall’s innings were dotted with 13 beautifully-timed boundaries and she had her foot right on the pedal from the very beginning. There was support as well in the form of 28 runs from Grace Harris, in a very important first-wicket partnership of 74 runs, that really set the team up.
Captain Deepti Sharm also contributed a useful knock, making 27 runs, while Vrinda Dinesh was able to make just 10 runs before getting out. Another prominent player, Sophie Ecclestone, contributed 16 runs to the score.
All these attempts were, however, checked by the superb bowling of Mumbai Indians, especially Amelia Kerr. The all-rounder had a magnificent bowling display, picking 5 wickets for a mere 38 runs in 4 overs, ensuring that no UP Warriors batsman was able to make a comeback.
Mumbai Indians’ comfortable chase
Chasing 151, Mumbai Indians started their innings with aggression. They put pressure on UP Warriors’ bowlers from the start, displaying their intentions to conclude the game early. The opener, Hayley Matthews, was in the middle of the pursuit, scoring a match-winning 68-run inning. Matthews’ innings was packed with muscle, including 8 boundaries and 2 sixes as she dominated UP Warriors’ bowlers. Her aggressive style ensured that Mumbai Indians were able to maintain the run rate required.
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Nat Sciver-Brunt was also very important in terms of support and added a responsible 37 runs to the run chase. Matthews and Sciver-Brunt together added an important 92-run stand and brought Mumbai Indians closer to reaching the target. Their combined action helped Mumbai Indians reach 151/4 after 18.2 overs and had 6 wickets left, securing their fourth victory in the season.
All-Round Play by Mumbai Indians
The win was a team effort right from the word go, with contributions from the bat as well as the ball. Amelia Kerr’s magnificent 5-wicket return kept UP Warriors’ batsmen in check, and the reassuring opening partnership between Matthews and Sciver-Brunt took Mumbai Indians to an easy win. Mumbai Indians’ capability to chase targets under pressure remains one of their fortes this season.
UP Warriors’ Struggles Continue
Conversely, UP Warriors have struggled this season, with this defeat their fifth in seven games. Though individual showings such as from Wall and Harris have been promising, the team’s failure to convert good starts and their inconsistent bowling has been chief debacles.
With the UP Warriors having only managed two wins thus far, their fortunes in the other matches have to change if they wish to remain in contention for a playoff position.
A dominant 6-wicket win over UP Warriors in Lucknow has confirmed the two-time champions Mumbai Indians supremacy in the 2025 Women’s Premier League, and with both Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr excelling, the team continues to display a well-balanced strategy of performing with equal authority in batting and bowling.
UP Warriors, on the other hand, will have to regroup and devise a strategy to counter their inconsistency if they are to save their campaign as the tournament unfolds.
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