Harmanpreet Kaur is one of the game’s most dangerous hitters: Sanjay Manjrekar

On Thursday, March 13, the Mumbai Indians defeated the Gujarat Giants by a resounding 47-run margin at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, advancing them to the final of the current Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025.

Despite the outstanding batting performances of Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper, had a brief but significant innings that ultimately determined the outcome. Sanjay Manjrekar, a former Indian batter, referred to Harmanpreet as one of the game’s most dangerous hitters and commended her furious knock in his analysis of the match.

After being put in to bat first, the Mumbai-based team scored 213/4 in 20 overs, the highest total ever in a WPL quarterfinal match. For the second wicket, Sciver-Brunt (77 off 41) and Matthews (77 off 50) stitched a huge 133-run partnership.

Toward the conclusion of the inning, Kaur entered the game and made sure to build on the foundation her teammates had laid. At a strike rate of 300, the 36-year-old struck two fours and four sixes while smashing 36 runs off just 12 balls. The team passed the 200-run milestone thanks to her appearance.

At one point, Harmanpreet Kaur entered the game and was forced to begin hitting right away.

Given the type of platform in front of her, 220 in all could be seen. The Gujarat Giants made the proper decision by bringing in their slower bowlers at that stage because the wicket was still a touch slow. Manjrekar stated on JioHotstar, “Harmanpreet wasted no time in accelerating, even though the boundaries weren’t too small either.”

Her ability to find the spaces with ease was what really stood out as she started playing the challenging shots on her second ball. It was an excellent reminder of her unique qualities. He continued, “Harman is one of the most dangerous hitters in the game today because she naturally finds the gaps, unlike some batters who find the fielders early in their innings.

The Gujarat Giants participated in the competition as a team at one point: Sanjay Manjrekar

The Gujarat Giants were hit with early losses as Ashleigh Gardner (8 off 4) and Beth Mooney (6 off 5) left the game early. Despite considerable resistance from Danielle Gibson (34 off 24) and Phoebe Litchfield (31 off 20), Gujarat was bowled out for 166 in 19.2 overs. Amelia Kerr (2/28) and Hayley Matthews (3/31) were Mumbai’s main ball-wreckers. Mumbai’s overall performance, which enabled them to go to the final for the second time in the competition’s history, was mentioned by the former.

You would have believed that the Mumbai Indians were the clear favorites at the halfway point. A score of 200 or more is usually significant, but the chasing team had an easier time of it when the dew arrived. Hayley Matthews wasn’t finished yet, though. Her skill with the bat was impressive, but she had more to offer with the ball.

“The pivotal moment came when she removed Ashleigh Gardner, who was undoubtedly the most important player of the game. The momentum was drastically changed by that discovery and a few more. At one point, the Gujarat Giants were competing as a team, but tonight, the Mumbai Indians’ Hayley Matthews was the only real giant on the field,” he continued.

Regarding the chase, Manjrekar believed that Gujarat lacked the aggressive batting purpose that the victorious team had shown earlier in the match. Additionally, he said that no Gujarati volunteers came forward.

“The pursuing team is always given some optimism by the conditions at this stadium. In the most recent game, the Mumbai Indians nearly achieved a 200-run chase against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), even though it appeared unattainable. Chasing a huge total, however, is always a difficult undertaking that calls for both skill and power. The way Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews stepped up was impressive. Then, one of the game’s most memorable cameos was given by Harmanpreet Kaur, even though her name wasn’t even mentioned in the batting card. A 300 strike rate under such extreme strain is remarkable. The former concluded, “Gujarat needed someone to replicate that kind of inning in order to chase that total.”

With this effort, the Kaur-led team defeated Gujarat for the sixth time in WPL history, extending their winning streak against them. Now, on Saturday, March 15, they will play the Delhi Capitals in the final, which is a rematch of the first WPL final in 2023.