‌WPL 2024 | Twitter erupts as Harman Hurricane blows away Giants to cement qualification spot

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Harmanpreet Kaur’s blistering 49-ball 95 came to the aid of Mumbai Indians as they overhauled the 191-run target with a couple of balls to spare. The fifties from Beth Mooney and Dayalan Hemalatha were not enough as Gujarat Giants bowlers failed to do the needful to stay alive in the tourney.

Brief Scores: GG: 190/7 [Brief Scores: Dayalan Hemalatha: 74 (40), Beth Mooney: 66 (35); Saika Ishaque: 4-0-31-2] lost to MI: 191/3 (19.4) [Harmanpreet Kaur: 95* (48), Yastika Bhatia: 49(36); Tanuja Kanwer: 4-0-21-1] by seven wickets. 

In a situation where all matches act as do-or-die, the Gujarat Giants skipper Beth Mooney elected to bat first during the toss and led the team from the front with a soaring start inside the powerplay. Although her partner Laura Wolvaardt was cleaned up by Hayley Matthews in the third over, Dayalan Hemalatha’s assistance summed up a 52-run powerplay. The pair extracted the next fifty runs in 23 balls with both of them racing a fifty in a 121-run partnership before Sajeevan Sajana cleaned up Mooney (66) in the 14th over. Subsequently, a wicket each fell on the next three overs with the score reading 163/7 in 17 overs. The MI bowlers made a strong comeback but debutant Bharti Fulmali’s 13-ball 21 helped them reach 190/7 in 20 overs. 

In response, Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia got off to a watchful start with the pair piling up 50 runs inside the powerplay, largely contributed by the latter. Although Matthews failed to convert her double-digit mark and Nat Sciver-Brunt followed suit in the eighth over, Harmanpreet Kaur played second fiddle to Yastika for a 41-run third-wicket partnership. The Giants bowlers built the pressure on the chasing side during the middle overs with 37 runs coming between overs 8-14th. With 91 runs required from the remaining six overs and Bhatia already back to the dugout, Harmanpreet switched gears and teed off the bowlers left, right and center. She smoked 75 runs from her last 27 balls including a 24-run 18th over against Sneh Rana. With 13 needed off the last over, the skipper clubbed a six and a four in the first two deliveries to ease the chase with two balls remaining.

‌‌Harmanpreet you beauty!

She did it alone!

One side war when she attacks!

What an unbelievable knock!

She smashed like a true warrior!

What a day for her!

GOAT!

That's true!

She actually surprised everyone!

Champion!

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