Mithali Raj Reflects on Ecclestone's Role During Heated Moment with Harmanpreet
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Synopsis
Mithali Raj shares her thoughts on the tense exchange between Harmanpreet Kaur and Sophie Ecclestone during a WPL 2025 match, highlighting the challenges captains face amid penalties and the impact of player interactions.
Key Takeaways
- Mithali Raj questioned Sophie Ecclestone's actions during a tense moment.
- Harmanpreet Kaur confronted the umpire over a slow over-rate penalty.
- Amelia Kerr delivered a strong performance with a five-wicket haul.
- Hayley Matthews scored 68 runs to lead MI to victory.
- Captains face challenges when managing penalties and player dynamics.
Lucknow, March 7 (NationPress) Former India captain Mithali Raj expressed her confusion regarding Sophie Ecclestone’s actions during a tense exchange between Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the on-field umpire in their WPL 2025 match against UP Warriorz on Thursday.
Ecclestone's presence intensified the situation as Harmanpreet was seen gesturing towards the non-striker. This incident took place just before the final over when the umpire penalised MI for a slow over rate, which enforced fielding restrictions that allowed only three fielders outside the 30-yard circle.
Harmanpreet showed clear frustration with the decision and confronted umpire Ajitesh Argal to challenge the ruling. Meanwhile, all-rounder Amelia Kerr, who was preparing to bowl the last over, also displayed her displeasure.
“I believe that Mumbai Indians were four minutes behind their over rate, which necessitated bringing an extra fielder inside the circle, limiting them to three players on the boundary. Harmanpreet was likely discussing this matter with the umpire, reconsidering her bowling choices. However, I couldn’t quite grasp what Ecclestone was attempting to achieve at that moment. As a captain, dealing with an over-rate penalty and adjusting the field is already challenging, and having another player intrude on that conversation can be frustrating. I think it was just an emotional moment,” Mithali shared on Amul Cricket Live on JioHotstar.
For her actions, Harmanpreet was fined 10 percent of her match fees for violating the WPL Code of Conduct.
Mithali praised Hayley Matthews for her impressive performance, scoring 68 runs off 46 balls, which included eight fours and two sixes, leading MI to a six-wicket victory.
“Hayley Matthews’ innings was exceptionally fluent in terms of shot-making. Nat Sciver-Brunt, who came in during the powerplay, maintained an impressive strike rate, scoring at around 180 at one point. She continues to score runs consistently, and that partnership was vital for the Mumbai Indians. A target of 150 can be tricky, especially with the quality spinners of UP Warriorz,” she noted.
“Since MI also relied heavily on spin in their first innings, we anticipated the UP Warriorz spinners to play a crucial role as well. However, that partnership never seemed under pressure. I felt the UP Warriorz bowlers bowled on the shorter side, which enabled Matthews and Sciver-Brunt to place Mumbai Indians in a dominant position,” the veteran cricketer added.
Regarding Amelia Kerr's five-wicket haul, Mithali remarked, “At one stage, when the UP Warriorz had a strong opening partnership, it looked like Mumbai Indians were searching for a breakthrough. But once they secured that wicket, Amelia Kerr confidently tossed the ball up even to Kiran Navgire and Chinelle Henry. She adjusted her line to be slightly wider, limiting their ability to play within their preferred range. Today, she bowled with a clear strategy, adapting well to the pitch and effectively utilizing her variations.”
“The highlight was how she dismissed Deepti Sharma and Chinelle Henry by bowling with a wider line and tossing it up. As a world-class all-rounder, she has demonstrated this season that even without significant contributions with the bat, she remains a match-winner with the ball for Mumbai Indians,” she concluded.
