Punjab Newsline, Sports :
MI Captain Hails Preparation and Responsibility as Mumbai Chase Down 192 Against Gujarat Giants
Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur heaped praise on her young teammates for stepping up and taking responsibility after the two-time champions registered a commanding seven-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Tuesday.
Harmanpreet highlighted the readiness and preparation of the younger players, crediting them for contributing whenever the team needed them. She said it was encouraging to see the youngsters embracing responsibility and delivering under pressure. According to the MI skipper, consistent preparation has helped the players stay match-ready, enabling them to perform confidently in different situations.
Opting to field first, Mumbai Indians faced an aggressive start from Gujarat Giants. Openers Beth Mooney and Kanika Ahuja guided their team to 62/1 in the powerplay, with the score moving to 99/3 by the halfway stage. Despite regular wickets by Shabnim Ismail, Hayley Matthews, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr, Gujarat staged a strong late surge. Bharti Fulmali played a blistering unbeaten knock of 36 off just 15 balls, while Georgia Wareham smashed an unbeaten 43, as the Giants added 62 runs in the final five overs to post a challenging 192/5.
Reflecting on the bowling effort, Harmanpreet admitted MI conceded too many runs and stressed the need to reassess plans going forward. She praised Amanjot Kaur for her calculated batting and credited Nicola Carey for easing pressure during the chase.
Chasing a stiff target, Harmanpreet led from the front with a composed and powerful innings. Emphasising the importance of calm decision-making in high-scoring tournaments, she said teams must assess situations carefully, bat deep and execute plans with clarity while chasing big totals.
Harmanpreet downplayed personal milestones, stating her focus was always on batting for the team. Unaware during the innings, she went on to score her fifth WPL half-century against Gujarat Giants and became only the second player in WPL history, after Nat Sciver-Brunt, to cross the 1,000-run mark.
Nicola Carey provided the finishing touches with a fluent unbeaten 38 off 23 balls, including six boundaries. Harmanpreet sealed the victory with a boundary in the final over, finishing with a match-winning 71 off 43 deliveries, studded with seven fours and two sixes, earning her the Player of the Match award.