That will be all for this blog. MI extend their lead at the top, a bit of a speed bump for DC. On Friday, RCB remain in must-win territory as they take on UPW. #WPL2023 Player of the match Saika Ishaque: "Sapne jaisa lag raha hai. . . par yeh hakikat hai maine ball daala hai accha" And then at the end of the chat, takes a couple of seconds looking at the award closely. Lovely. https://t. co/P1Ucg3Znn8 pic. twitter. com/bN08a161IB — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 9, 2023 The Meg Lanning interview is worth a revisit: What’s your thoughts on the toss now? (Laughs) Hindsight is a wonderful thing. To be honest, we were actually in very similar positions in the 12-over mark. And unfortunately in the innings we just couldn’t put partnerships together. I’ll take a lot of blame for that. I think I took up some balls early and then got out at a crucial time which was disappointing. We needed a set batter to get us through towards the back end. So that was a difference really, you know, lots of stuff to work on. I thought Mumbai bought excellently and that’s the game sometimes it doesn’t go your way. Was there a little bit of something in the pitch to know it did look like there was maybe a little bit of movement? Yeah, there was certainly a little bit in it for the bowlers which is a good thing. It’s not always gonna be a flat track and it did tend to hold a little bit more than perhaps the other wickets we’ve played on so you know, sometimes you just got to adapt what you get and then Mumbai seemed do that a little bit better. We spoke about chasing 200. But let’s go to setting, when you come up against the side like Mumbai Indians, is that what you’re certainly thinking you’re doing or is it constant readjustment as you’re out there? Constant adjustment really. I mean, you can’t go out there. You know, looking at that 18- right from the start. I think you get yourself into a bit of trouble as you do that. You’ve got to build the blocks first and get set and build partnerships throughout. And that’s what allows you to go at the back end and that’s what we weren’t able to do today. So it wasn’t our best day. We gave it a crack but you know, there’s lots to learn and I think we’re able to pull it back a little bit through the bowling innings which is a good sign and hopefully come back better next time. Okay, just positives. Come on. Give us a couple of them, pull out a couple of players that you’re impressed with. Well I thought Rodrigues actually came out and really attacked the ball and the sort of swung the momentum a fair bit our way which was good and we just couldn’t capitalise on it. I think Alice Capsey has been bowling excellently was able to tie them down really well. So we got some good options. Some things went well for us tonight. Orange suits you though (referring to the cap for being the leading run-scorer). (LAUGHS) Ooooh, I feel like a bit silly wearing this to be honest with you. Yeah, look, hopefully I can keep contributing. And you know, we’ve got a few few more wins in us. #WPL2023 #DCvMI A stunning catch by Jemimah Rodrigues! And how good was she on the field. ???? pic. twitter. com/Ws7WxorgYl — The Field (@thefield_in) March 9, 2023 As clinical as it gets ???? Nat Sciver-Brunt & Harmanpreet Kaur add finishing touches to the run-chase ???? @mipaltan ???? win by 8 wickets ???? Scorecard ▶️ https://t. co/MoIM0uilMQ #TATAWPL | #DCvMI pic. twitter. com/5kXARYfGds — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 9, 2023 Player of the match : Saika Ishaque Harmanpreet Kaur: She is all praise for the bowling performances, says it is easy for her when her players are stepping up this way. “Now the tournament is going to start, because the pitches are going to get slower,” she signs off. Maybe it’s a bit odd to plug this after her side has been beaten easily, but given what Harman said at the toss and what she said now, it is hard not to be in awe of Lanning. Meg Lanning: Leading, winning and redefining greatness doMInation? https://t. co/8xTgrnXQFE — Tareque Laskar (@tarequelaskar) March 9, 2023 Meg Lanning: “I’ll take a lot of blame for our batting in the 2nd half of our innings, took up too many balls early on, couldn’t capitalise. ” Then adds she feels a bit silly wearing the orange cap. What a leader, goodness. Can’t imagine many captains saying that in a post-match interview. She is something else. MI win by 8 wickets: Mumbai Indians have won one match by 143 runs and two others by finishing the run-chase in the 15th over. MI 109/2 after 15 overs: MI win by 8 wickets and 30 balls to spare! Sciver-Brunt finishes with two fours as MI complete another chase in the 15th over. #WPL2023 And the vice captain is putting in the dives everywhere on the field to try and stop a run or two. Stating the obvious, they have a good captain-vice captain combo, do DC. https://t. co/NONVocqLMy pic. twitter. com/PmkKDHyMY1 — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 9, 2023 MI 99/2 after 14 overs: A couple of fours for Harmanpreet Kaur in Capsey’s over. DC still putting in the dives, changing fielders around etc. But the batting has been too good. Feels like having Nat Sciver-Brunt AND Hayley Matthews in the same team is just unfair tbh — Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) March 9, 2023 Shafali's fielding looks really improved. Hope it stays like this ???? — PouLaMi #WPL #RoarMacha (@Crictopher17) March 9, 2023 MI 89/2 after 13 overs: Sciver-Brunt with two brilliant pull shots for four as Pandey tries to test her with bouncers. She is too strong square of the wicket though. MI 79/2 after 12 overs: WICKET! Oh after Radha in the previous match it is now Rodrigues. DC have done superbly on the field. The Mumbaikar sprints in full speed and takes a wonderful low catch. Matthews c Rodrigues b Capsey 32 (31 balls) #WPL2023 #DCvMI She nearly took a stunner last match but Jemimah Rodrigues holds on to a superb catch running in full tilt from long off. Wonderful ???? https://t. co/IkI5LVmEZm pic. twitter. com/Iifufnv7ze — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 9, 2023 MI 77/1 after 11 overs: Good over by Kapp, MI 75/1 after 10 overs: Hayley Matthews is now starting to shift gears. Two fours off Jonassen. Just 31 needed off 60 balls. MI 65/1 after 8. 5 overs: WICKET! End of a fine innings from Yastika Bhatia. Looked so fluent today. Norris gets one past the defence and MI lose a review too. Bhatia lbw b Norris 41 (32 balls) Meri aankho ki Tara Norris ❤️ — mon (@4sacinom) March 9, 2023 MI 61/0 after 8 overs: Just two runs from Capsey’s over but MI are cruising. Shikha Pandey has been unlucky in her opening spell tonight. In her 2 overs, she had 9 false shots played against her but still failed to pick up a wicket. In this #TATAWPL in the Powerplay, on average, every 6th false shot has normally resulted in a wicket. #DCvMI — The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 9, 2023 Just #WPL2023 things ♥️ @LauraHarrisNBC5 #TATAWPL pic. twitter. com/GXfbrQvXx2 — Lavanya ????️????????????‍???? (@lav_narayanan) March 9, 2023 MI 59/0 after 7 overs: This is some batting by Yastika. Two fours to start Radha’s over. MI 47/0 after 6 overs: Jonassen driven down the ground for possibly the shot of the day! Superb from Bhatia. What a powerplay for MI again. End of Powerplay ???? Strong start by @mipaltan in their chase after 6️⃣ overs The opening pair also bring up their FIFTY partnership ???? Follow the match ▶️ https://t. co/MoIM0uilMQ #TATAWPL | #DCvMI pic. twitter. com/fFOF5myW92 — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 9, 2023 MI 42/0 after 5 overs: Just like that, after a good start from DC bowlers, MI have gone 4-4-4-4-0-4-4. Three fours for Yastika in Kapp’s over. MI 29/0 after 4 overs: Shikha Pandey just conceded a hat-trick of fours. And that doesn’t even begin to tell the story of those three deliveries to Hayley Matthews. An outswinger beat Matthews first, then an inswinger goes for four inside edged. Another inside edge beats Jonassen at mid-on, and then the outside edge beats slip. MI 16/0 after 3 overs: Pressure building ever so slightly on Mumbai here. Of course, no worry with the required rate but Kapp bowls a terrific over to keep Matthew quiet. Four dot balls. MI 15/0 after 2 overs: Pandey starts off with a tidy over. One delivery, width on offer, Matthews smacked it over point for four. But otherwise good lines. If MI can fix Yastika’s intent, Indian cricket will be thankful. She is such a good stroke-player, just gets bogged down too often. MI 9/0 after 1 over: Yastika starts with two straight fours in Kapp’s over. MI off to a good start. Kapp gets things going for Capitals. Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews in the middle. DC need early wickets and plenty of those, given MI’s batting depth. Mumbai Indians have bowled out the opposition in all 3 matches so far. Best bowling ER in the WPL: rpo 6. 25 MI 8. 30 DC 9. 50 UPW 9. 56 GG 10. 73 RCB Being the strongest batting team and a bowling juggernaut is very Southern Vipers-esque from the Charlotte Edwards led MI. #WPL — hypocaust (@_hypocaust) March 9, 2023 Not our best with the bat this #TATAWPL , but backing our bowlers to turn this around tonight ???????????? #YehHaiNayiDilli #CapitalsUniverse #DCvMI pic. twitter. com/2vEB9Pylh9 — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 9, 2023 #MIvsDC , clash of the 2 unbeaten sides so far, on a batting friendly wicket, was supposed to be a cracker It could well be but Mumbai Indians have dismissed Delhi Capitals for just 105 runs. . . And this is the team that chased 155 with more than 5 overs to spare! Dominance! #WPL — Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) March 9, 2023 #WPL2023 Hayley Matthews so far: Match 1: 47 & 0/8 Match 2: 77* & 3/28 Match 3: 3/19 & TBD ???? Ooh to, ooh to be, ooh to be a g̶o̶o̶n̶e̶r̶ all-rounder ???? https://t. co/IkI5LVm79O pic. twitter. com/KWHS7TneP5 — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 9, 2023 DC 105 all out after 18 overs: ALL OUT! Matthews cleans things up. A wasted review early on but they get the second one right, Norris is plumb in front. Three-for for the WI captain again! Cinema #WPL pic. twitter. com/pyfB6O83rN — mon (@4sacinom) March 9, 2023 It might seem completely unbelievable but Saika Ishaque couldn't get into even Bengal's playing XI as recently as October 2021 She has worked incredibly hard to be here, playing for one of the strongest domestic teams and one of the best bowling attacks in India #WPL2023 — Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) March 9, 2023 DC 102/9 after 17 overs: WICKET! Wong has three! Radha skies one to point. And the end is nigh Delhi. Yadav c Kazi b Wong 10 (9 balls) DC 98/8 after 16. 2 overs: WICKET! Wong gets her second, tame from Taniya to hit a short ball straight to midwicket. Bhatia c Matthews b Wong 4 (9 balls) DC 98/7 after 16 overs: Kerr has been a bit expensive today. Radha finishes that over with a lovely drive over extra cover for six. DC 89/7 after 15 overs: Taniya Bhatia and Radha Yadav in the middle now, Shikha Pandey can bat too. DC will need to bat 20 overs here and give the bowlers something to work with. Stadium visibly fuller for an MI game, no surprises there #WPL2023 pic. twitter. com/nHkRVvnZbD — Radha???? (@radhalathgupta) March 9, 2023 DC 84/7 after 13. 4 overs: MORE WICKETS! What a collapse this is. Jess Jonassen first falls caught at point and then Minnu Mani is out stumped. Matthews with two in over. Jonassen c Amanjot Kaur b Matthews 2 (3 balls) Mani st Bhatia b Matthews 0 (3 balls) DC 84/5 after 13 overs: WICKETS! What an over from Saika. She is going to hold on to that Purple Cap for a while. First Rodrigues is bowled trying to cut and then Lanning finds Harman at cover. Lanning c Harmanpreet Kaur b Ishaque 43 (41 balls) Rodrigues b Ishaque 25 (18 balls) #WPL2023 #DCvMI ❌ Jemimah Rodrigues ❌ Meg Lanning What an over from Saika Ishaque. And what a tournament she is having! ???? https://t. co/blPr5l5Hem pic. twitter. com/xGxN34ZUf3 — The Field (@thefield_in) March 9, 2023 3rd time in last three meetings. #WPL https://t. co/ryUaeoDOs2 — Krithika (@krithika0808) March 9, 2023 Lanning-Rodrigues: A 50-run partnership in just 33 balls. DC 80/3 after 12 overs: More good running between the wickets and just like that 8 runs in that Matthews over. What a world class contest this has been so far, one way then the next. Great fielding on show too in that over to save a four. DC 72/3 after 11 overs: That Meg Lanning sequence of 4-4-4 was a mini masterclass in footwork. Off the front foot for four, off the back foot through square leg, off the front foot again. Taking on Kerr brilliantly #WPL2023 #DCvMI 4-4-4! It's not been the most fluent of Meg Lanning knocks so far. But those three fours were a masterful. https://t. co/blPr5l5Hem pic. twitter. com/yWM26Ko3L1 — The Field (@thefield_in) March 9, 2023 That was a thrilling hat-trick by Lanning. #WPL2023 #DCvMI — Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) March 9, 2023 DC 58/3 after 10 overs: Meg Lanning batting with Jemimah Rodrigues, and feels to me like the running between the wickets is probably the best we have seen this tournament. Both such naturals. Nothing out of the ordinary, just so smooth so far. 7 runs in that Matthews over. Matthews into the attack after timeout. Will DC look to up the ante? DC 51/3 after 9 overs: Kerr into the attack and nearly gets Lanning! A mistimed shot though is actually perfectly timed that it falls between three fielders. Great fielding on show in that over by Amanjot Kaur too who has been a champ on the boundaries through the three matches. Amanjot! #WPL2023 — Shajin MS (@SupertrampMS) March 9, 2023 DC 45/3 after 8 overs: uff, delightful drive past cover for four by Rodrigues. Three fours int hat NSB over, one of them a streaky outside edge that fell just short of Matthews at slip. Meg Lanning under pressure. Must be a shock change for her fitbit. #DCvMI #WPL2023 #TATAWPL — Lavanya ????️????????????‍???? (@lav_narayanan) March 9, 2023 DC 31/3 after 6. 3 overs: WICKET! Well maybe not an absolute peach on replays, but a really good delivery from Wong to beat Kapp’s defence on length and a little bit off seam movement. What a start for MI. Kapp b Wong 2 (4 balls) #WPL2023 #DCvMI As Jhulan Goswami recalls dismissing Meg Lanning bowled with *that* magic ball in the 2017 World Cup as one of her favour