WPL 2025 – Conclusion – Harmanpreet Kaur praises Nat Sciver-Brunt and Shabnim Ismail as MI turns 150 into a score that feels like ‘180’

Harmanpreet Kaur praised Mumbai Indians for their resilience in an intense eight-run victory over Delhi Capitals in the WPL 2025 final, marking MI’s second title in three years. Harmanpreet, named Player of the Match for her 66 runs, emphasized their determination despite a rocky start. She credited key partnerships, especially with Nat Sciver-Brunt, who contributed significantly with both bat and ball. Though MI set a modest target of 150, their bowlers rose to the occasion. DC’s captain Meg Lanning expressed disappointment over their third final loss but acknowledged the team’s strong season and the impact of missed partnerships.

Harmanpreet Kaur praised the fighting spirit of the Mumbai Indians, who endured intense pressure from the Delhi Capitals to secure an eight-run victory in the WPL 2025 final. This victory marks MI’s second title in three seasons of the tournament.

“We played with great determination today, fighting until the very last ball, even though our start wasn’t ideal,” said Harmanpreet, who was named Player of the Match for her impressive 44-ball 66, during the presentation. “It’s about being present, consistently executing the right strategies, and that’s what we focused on.”

Harmanpreet entered the match when MI was at 14 for 2 in the fifth over, and went on to form a crucial 89-run partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt, who concluded a Player-of-the-Tournament-winning season with another excellent all-round performance, scoring 30 runs and taking 3 wickets for 30 runs.

“It was challenging when I came to bat, but I believed that if I stayed in and kept the strike rotating, especially with Nat in such good form, I wouldn’t need to bear too much pressure,” Harmanpreet shared. “My aim was to support her, and that partnership was remarkable. We focused on keeping it simple, and whoever was on strike took calculated risks.”

Despite their efforts, MI could only set a target of 150, which Harmanpreet felt was insufficient given Delhi’s batting prowess. However, Sciver-Brunt and Shabnim Ismail provided a solid start in the defense, each claiming a wicket in the powerplay.

“I believe 150 wasn’t a competitive total against DC, but matches like these are high-pressure situations—150 can feel like 180 in such circumstances. The credit goes to our bowlers, who had the belief to secure breakthroughs in the powerplay. It was encouraging to see Ismail taking crucial wickets, and Nat’s great bowling also created opportunities for us. I’m really pleased with everyone’s performance today.”

This season, one of Mumbai’s key assets has been the effective overseas bowling quartet of Ismail, Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, and Hayley Matthews. This left the less experienced bowlers to fill in for four overs, and Harmanpreet expressed her appreciation for Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, and Saika Ishaque for stepping up as needed. In the final, Ishaque bowled 3 overs for just 16 runs before facing a costly fourth over by Marizanne Kapp.

“We were clear about our expectations for everyone this season,” Harmanpreet said. “We held effective one-on-one meetings to clarify each person’s role within the team. We knew we had four seasoned bowlers who could lead but realized that the other four overs in a T20 match are equally critical. We aimed to give whoever was performing that day the opportunity to contribute.”

“Today, Saika stepped up and did exceptionally well for us, bowling crucial overs. Amanjot had her chance earlier, and Sanskriti also made significant contributions. They understood their roles well and knew they needed to deliver when on the field. I truly enjoy playing alongside them.”

Lanning: ‘One more partnership may have given us a chance’

For the Delhi Capitals, this marked their third final in three seasons, resulting in a third defeat, but captain Meg Lanning didn’t see any consistent pattern in the defeats.

“We haven’t managed to showcase our best performances in the finals, which is disappointing, but that’s cricket,” she reflected. “It’s not anyone’s fault. We entered the match as prepared as possible to perform well, but it simply didn’t pan out for us. Each final has been different in its own way.”

“We’re incredibly disappointed; we felt we put ourselves in a strong position to win, but that’s just part of the game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sadly we’ve been on the losing end.”

Lanning regarded 150 as a target within reach, suggesting that one more partnership might have turned the game in DC’s favor.

“We didn’t quite coordinate well with the bat,” she noted. “I thought chasing 150 was a manageable target for us; just one more partnership for a few overs might have given us the opportunity to succeed. Nonetheless, I am proud of the team; we had a solid season with some excellent moments, yet we are all feeling quite disheartened.”

DC finished atop the league table, but this meant they entered the final a full eight days after their previous match. Lanning didn’t believe this had any significant impact on the outcome of the final.

“I can’t say for sure. Some might argue Mumbai could be fatigued, but there’s no definitive way to approach these situations. Performance on the day is what matters, and Mumbai simply outperformed us tonight.”

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