Vadodara, Jan 31 (NationPress) Mumbai Indians' head coach Lisa Keightley confessed that the reigning champions struggled to find their rhythm, and a rocky start hindered their performance in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

MI faced an 11-run setback against the Gujarat Giants at BCA Stadium on Friday, further diminishing their prospects of playoff qualification.

“We definitely encountered challenges early on. Injuries and illnesses impacting key players complicated matters, forcing us to modify our combinations more than we would have liked. The inability to forge the necessary partnerships for momentum placed us under immediate pressure. Losing early matches in the tournament was less than ideal,” Keightley expressed during a post-match media interaction.

The struggles for Mumbai began even prior to the tournament opener when all-rounder Hayley Matthews suffered a quad injury during a practice session after arriving in India. Keightley acknowledged that her absence in the initial matches compelled the team to deviate from their intended lineup, opting for a makeshift arrangement that persisted throughout the season.

“We had a clear vision for our lineup going into the tournament. When Hayley couldn’t play in the early games, we had to experiment with new combinations. Replacing a world-class opening batter is never a simple task,” Keightley noted.

After testing multiple opening pairings from the start, Mumbai ultimately decided to rely on S Sajana to partner with Matthews at the top of the order. Keightley commended the Indian all-rounder for her adaptability under pressure.

“We believe Sajana and Hayley represent our best options at the top. She began the tournament strongly in a different role, then had to adjust for the team’s needs. Battling against world-class bowlers is always a challenge, but she prepared diligently and prioritized the team,” she stated.

The head coach also reflected on the team's shortcomings against the Giants, identifying two overs in which they conceded 36 runs as pivotal.

“The two overs following their time-out significantly shifted the momentum. We were managing the game well until that point, but that phase altered the outcome,” she said.

Keightley credited the opponents for capitalizing on key moments during the second innings while Harmanpreet Kaur was making a commendable effort. “They bowled exceptionally well and were simply superior to us when it counted,” she remarked.

The Mumbai Indians concluded the league stage with three victories and five defeats, placing third on the points table due to a net run rate of plus 0.059.

For the first time in four WPL seasons, their qualification fate now relies on the outcome of another match, with a bottom-placed clash between Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz on Sunday determining their future.