The Women’s Premier League clash in Navi Mumbai turned into a night to remember for Mumbai Indians and a moment of reflection for Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner. As Mumbai chased down a daunting target, it was Harmanpreet Kaur who stood tall, delivering a commanding performance that once again highlighted her big-match temperament.
Harmanpreet produced a batting masterclass, scoring an unbeaten 71 to guide Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants. The chase of 193 became MI’s highest successful run chase in the WPL so far, completed with four balls to spare on Tuesday night.
Chasing a steep total, Mumbai were under early pressure after losing both openers in the powerplay to slip to 37 for 2. However, Harmanpreet quickly seized control of the innings. She brought up her half-century in just 33 balls, marking her 10th fifty in the WPL, and also crossed 1,000 runs in the league, becoming the first Indian player to achieve the milestone.
After the match, Ashleigh Gardner openly acknowledged that she chose not to bowl extensively to Harmanpreet, admitting that past match-ups played a role in her decision-making. She explained that statistically, Harmanpreet has often had the upper hand against her during their international encounters, and as captain, she felt there were other bowling options better suited at that stage. Ashleigh Gardner also reflected that leadership decisions can look very different in hindsight, especially after a loss.
The numbers back up Ashleigh Gardner’s assessment. In T20 cricket, Harmanpreet has scored 134 runs off 79 balls bowled by Ashleigh Gardner at a strike rate of 169.6, while being dismissed only twice.
On the field, Harmanpreet found excellent support from Amanjot Kaur, who played a crucial hand with a fluent 40 off 26 balls, including seven boundaries. The duo added 72 runs in just 44 deliveries, swinging momentum firmly in Mumbai’s favour.
While Amanjot punished loose deliveries with smart paddle shots and powerful slogs, Harmanpreet counter-attacked with authority, lofting Renuka Singh over mid-off and striking Ashleigh Gardner over long-on to keep the chase firmly under control.
