Did Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 65 and Nicola Carey’s 32 Not Out Propel MI to 161/5 Against UPW?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nat Sciver-Brunt excelled with a score of 65 runs.
- Nicola Carey remained unbeaten with 32 runs.
- The Mumbai Indians scored 161/5 after a shaky start.
- The team recovered with a strong finish, scoring 83 runs in the last seven overs.
- The partnership between Sciver-Brunt and Carey was pivotal for MI's innings.
Navi Mumbai, Jan 15 (NationPress) In her return to the playing eleven, Nat Sciver-Brunt delivered a stellar performance, scoring 65 runs off 43 balls, while Nicola Carey contributed an impressive 32 not out off 20 deliveries. This allowed the defending champions, Mumbai Indians, to bounce back from a sluggish beginning and set a total of 161/5 against UP Warriorz during their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 match at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.
The Mumbai Indians showcased their batting strength in a powerful final seven overs, amassing 83 runs after struggling at 78/3 at the 13-over mark. Sciver-Brunt struck nine fours and a six, beautifully timing the ball, while Carey added five swift boundaries to the score.
UP Warriorz will lament their failure to control the late barrage, as they had been in charge during the middle overs. The pressure now mounts on their batters to chase down a target that seemed insurmountable when MI was under pressure at the end of the 13th over.
MI’s innings began hesitantly, with Amanjot Kaur and G. Kamalini, who opened in place of Hayley Matthews, struggling against the new-ball attack from UPW, resulting in their lowest Power-play score of the season at 32/0.
In a bid to accelerate, Amanjot attempted a slog-sweep but was caught at deep mid-wicket off Deepti Sharma, while Kamalini fell to a long-off catch against Sophie Ecclestone. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur provided a brief spark with an 11-ball 16 before being dismissed through a stunning catch by Chloe Tryon off Asha Sobhana Joy.
The match turned when Sciver-Brunt and Carey formed a destructive 85-run partnership off 43 balls. They unleashed a calculated attack on the UP bowlers, scoring 33 runs from the 15th and 16th overs combined, and followed it up with 11 and 15 runs in the 17th and 18th overs, respectively.
Despite only managing one boundary in the final two overs, Nat and Nicola had inflicted enough damage to enable MI to reach a competitive total on a challenging pitch.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indians 161/5 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 65, Amanjot Kaur 38; Shikha Pandey 1-25, Sophie Ecclestone 1-26) against UP Warriorz