Matthews struck four boundaries after a sedate start.
West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews contributed a wicket and 18 runs as Mumbai Indians Women registered win number five of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign with a seven-wicket beating of Gujarat Giants Women at the AJ Stadium, on Saturday.
Matthews, who opened the bowling for MI Women, ended with one for 22 from three overs, which assisted in limiting the Giants to 190 for seven from their 20 overs, after they opted to take first strike.
After a sedate start, the 25-year-old Barbadian all-rounder then stroke four boundaries in her 21-ball 18, as she posted an even 50-run opening stand with Yastikia Bhatia, which laid the platform for the successful chase that was anchored by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was left unbeaten on 95.
Bhatia made 49 off 36 balls, including eight fours and a solitary six, while Kaur’s breathtaking 48-ball knock included 10 fours and five sixes.
Scores: Gujarat Giants Women 190-7 (20 overs); MI Women 191-3 (19.5 overs)
Despite the slow start, Matthews maintained her composure and eventually found some rhythm with a series of boundaries, before she went caught off Tanuja Kanwar in the next over.
Things got worse for MI Women when they lost England international Nat Sciver-Brunt (two) in the eighth over with the score at 57-2. However, Bhatia and Kaur steadied the innings with a 41-run third wicket stand, before the former offered a return catch to Ashleigh Gardner in the 14th over.
Still, Kaur continued to flow and dominated an unbroken 93-run stand with New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr, whose contribution to the partnership was a mere 12 not out.
With MI Women requiring 13 from the final over, bowled by Gardner, Kaur smashed a six and a four off the first two balls, before scrambling singles with Kerr off the next three deliveries to complete the win with one ball to spare.
Earlier, Gujarat Giants through a 121-run second-wicket stand between Dayalan Hemalatha (74) and her captain Beth Mooney (66), threatened to put the game beyond MI Women’s reach.
Hemalatha hit nine fours and two sixes in her top score which came off 40 balls, while Mooney’s 35-ball knock included eight fours and three sixes.
But their contributions were in vain, as Bharti Fulmali (21) was the next best scorer with the remaining players offering little or no resistance to the MI Women’s bowlers.
With the win, Mumbai India Women remain atop the standing on 10 points, with Delhi Capital Women (8 points), their closest pursuer.
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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