WPL 2023, MI vs UPW Highlights: UP Warriorz become first team to beat Mumbai Indians, win by 5 wickets

Mumbai Indians are in trouble here, how many times have we had to say that this season. Kerr top edges a sweep and the ball loops towards short fine leg. Rajeshwari Gayakwad gets her first.

Kerr c Chopra b Gayakwad 3 (5), MI 77/4 in 13 overs

Huge wicket and it's a rather soft dismissal that does it for Matthews. She has a swipe at a length delivery, the ball takes a leading edge and Healy has a regulation take.

Matthews c Healy b Ecclestone 35 (30), MI 57/3 in 10.4 overs

Deepti Sharma drags down the last ball of the 10th on middle and leg, Matthews rocks back and smashes it over long on. MI 56/2 in 10 overs. 

Well this has been a slow burner thus far, apart from the couple of sixes that Matthews hit back to back there have been hardly any attempted big hits. UPW have certainly got a hold on the innings since getting the wicket of Sciver-Brunt. 

Big appeal for LBW and given! Sciver-Brunt doesn't even care to consider taking a DRS. 

Sciver-Brunt lbw b Ecclestone 5 (8), MI 39/2 in 7.3 overs

Sciver-Brunt utterly creams the fifth ball of the sixth over back towards the bowler Gayakwad. The latter puts out her hands and the ball ricochets off it to the fielder at mid-on. Gayakwad is down on her haunches holding her hand. That is a drop, strictly speaking, but in no universe is any human being holding on to that catch. 

Yastika tries a ramp, it intially looked like she had played it on to her own stumps but as it turns out, she had only missed it entirely. 

Yastika b Sarvani 7 (15), MI 30/1 in 4.5 overs

Hayley Matthews lets fly! A six over extra cover off the second last ball and another over point to end the over. She moves to 17 off 12. 

Well, well, that can't even be called a dropped a catch because the ball ended up not touching the fielder's hands at all. Yastika Bhatia slices up in the air off Harris. The ball goes to extra cover where Sarvani runs back but the ball seems to have gone right through her fingers. 

Both Yastika and Matthews are on three runs each. Grace Harris bowled the second over after Gayakwad. All quiet at the moment at the DY Patil.

Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews are opening for Mumbai Indians. Rajeshwari Gayakwad has the ball in hand for UP Warriorz. 

“Before the tournament, we played a few matches among our group and we decided our best eleven. We made sure that they had enough time to settle time. The top order is doing well and the bowlers have been consistent. Pooja unfortunately got injured but apart from that, it is the same eleven we are playing. The wicket at Brabourne is slowing down a little but the outfield is quick. In the evening here, the ball was just seaming around a little. Bowling in the right areas against Healy and their batters will be key. I hope they consistently do what they have been doing so far. There is a big match tomorrow (between me and Charlotte Edwards). I am going to bowl five overs at her and if I don't get her out, I will have to treat her.”

Alyssa Healy(w/c), Devika Vaidya, Kiran Navgire, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma, Parshavi Chopra, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Humaira Kazi, Dhara Gujjar, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

“We have chased a lot better than what we have set this year, so that's one of the reasons for bowling first. I love it, the fact that Gujarat put a bit of pressure on us by winning their game. Parshavi is coming in today.”

“This is something new I am experiencing, I am sure MI team is getting used to this now (losing the toss). We would have batted first anyway. Same XI for us. We are keeping things simple, just want to enjoy ourselves.”

UPW win the toss and choose to bowl. Harmanpreet Kaur is never going to win a toss in this tournament, is she? As she has done in all of the matches thus far, she says that she was going to choose to bat anyhow. No quarters and all that. 

You can't really take in last games into this game. But it is good to score runs and get some confidence in the Indian conditions. I am enjoying myself out there. It is a big game for us today. We are in third place at the moment. A few more wins and we might be able to lock in a playoffs spot. Against Mumbai, we are really looking forward to challenging ourselves against the benchmark team. Amelia Kerr is probably a big player for them and Harmanpreet Kaur. Looking to neutralise their best weapons. For us, Alyssa Healy needs to start big for us. We love the support from Mumbai and when I have come to India, I have only ever been here. The Aussie boys and the Indian boys have come in here to finish their ODI game and it has been good to get that support.

Pitches have generally been slowing down across the board in this tournament and there is no reason to believe why it should be different today. The dew factor will not be as pronounced though considering this is a day game. 

Alyssa Healy(w/c), Devika Vaidya, Kiran Navgire, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Simran Shaikh, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shabnim Ismail, Lauren Bell, Shivali Shinde, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Soppadhandi Yashasri

Yastika Bhatia(w), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Humaira Kazi, Dhara Gujjar, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar, Heather Graham, Chloe Tryon, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala

The last time these two teams, MI made a mockery of the 160-run target that UPW had set for them, winning the match by 8 wickets with more than two overs to spare. That was at the Brabourne, this match is at the DY Patil Stadium. Will the change of venues bring a cahnge of fortunes for UPW against the rampant MI? We will find out.