11. 30 pm: That will be all for the blog. An electric first half to the night but a bit of a tame end to the contest. MI won’t mind it one bit, what a huge start for them. Harmanpreet Kaur led the way, and Saika Ishaque’s performance added the icing. For her incredible captain's knock of 65(30), skipper @ImHarmanpreet bagged the Player of the Match award ???????? #GGvMI @mipaltan secured a 143-run victory over Gujarat Giants in the opening game of the #TATAWPL ???????? pic. twitter. com/HHbnLj8BZQ — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023 Harmanpreet Kaur, player of the match: Perfect start. It was a dream come true and everything went our way. We kept things simple, very clear. Told everyone to play their natural game, it was a big game but be in the moment and express yourselves. Just wanted to watch the ball and react, it went my way. We just want to keep going how we started, next games are important. Bengal’s serial breakthrough-giver Saika Ishaque shines on the big stage. Vindication for her former Bengal team-mate @JhulanG10 , the Mumbai Indians mentor and bowling coach, too. A 4-for (and a stare) for the ages. 3. 1-1-11-4 in the biggest match of her career. #WPL | #MIvGG — Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) March 4, 2023 Post- match : The Gujarat Giants players (and even Nooshin) getting a big hug from Jhulan Goswami at the end of that match. They all need that. Sneh Rana has a quick chat afterward and says there is no update yet on Beth Mooney but adds she will be ready if she has to lead tomorrow evening. #WPL2023 #GGvMI Saika Ishaque: 4/11 ???????? What a night for the left-arm spinner. Harmanpreet Kaur with a sensational innings and then a memorable bowling performance as MI win by 143 runs. https://t. co/JKQKoKvQVs pic. twitter. com/kkufaO1eTm — The Field (@thefield_in) March 4, 2023 1 run win for Harman #GGvMI #WPL2023 — Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 4, 2023 GG 64/9 after 15. 1 overs: And MI win by 143 runs! Saika Ishaque with her fourth wicket as Monica Patel is bowled. Patel b Ishaque 10 (9 balls) GG 64/8 after 15 overs: A four for Monica now off Hayley Matthews bowling. GG 56/8 after 14 overs: A lovely four by Monica Patel in that over. They have now crossed the infamous 49. Oh wow, Harsha Bhogle just said at the WPL one of the reviews can be used to check wides or no balls. That is news I missed (and a good one!) GG 49/8 after 13 overs: WICKET! Great review that. Good to spot that it was pad first. Joshi lbw b Ishaque 6 (19 balls) GG 49/7 after 12 overs: Jintimani Kalita’s action is just lovely. Neat run-up, easy delivery. Good lines. There is plenty to work with there, easy to see why the MI think-tank is excited. GG 44/7 after 11 overs: Hemalatha with a lovely shot down the ground for six. She is turning out to be a sole bright spot. Don't want to jinx, but this is what she is capable of. One of the mismanaged players in the last year or so without a longer run. #WPL2023 https://t. co/qZFuIJXiPQ — Sa. Gomesh | ச. கோமேஷ் (@SaGomesh) March 4, 2023 Hashtag RCB watch. 12 more runs, Gujarat, 12 more runs. #WPL2023 — Aaditya Narayan (@AadityaN_28) March 4, 2023 Worst possible start for Gujarat Giants on Day 1, no player reaching double digits & Mooney retired hurt while Mumbai Indians get a perfect start with virtually every player contributing Kinda fitting, shows both what #WPL is capable of & why it's needed for India's depth. — Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) March 4, 2023 GG 36/7 after 10 overs: Hemalatha takes on Kerr and hits a six and four. Some much needed runs for the Giants. Any reduction in quantum of defeat is useful. Mansi is the new batter. Time for timeout. GG 24/7 after 9 overs: Vastrakar with a tidy start. GG 23/7 after 8 overs: Double-wicket maiden from Kerr. Wow. GG 23/7 after 7. 4 overs: WICKET! This is a procession. A massive defeat is on the cards for Giants. Lobbed to NSB at cover and it is another googly. Kanwar c Nat Sciver-Brunt b Kerr 0 (3 balls) GG 23/6 after 7. 1 overs: WICKET! Kerr strikes first ball, and it is a delightful googly. Rana reviews it but it is clipping the stumps. Rana lbw b Kerr 1 (2 balls) GG 22/5 after 6. 5 overs: WICKET! Saika is impressing alright. Tight lines from the left-arm spinner and she gets one in through the gate. Wareham b Ishaque 8 (11 balls) Jinitimani Kalita, who has come in for a lot of praise from the MI management already, has been a livewire on the field. GG 18/4 after 6 overs: What a powerplay for MI. A fine over from Wong to finish it. Just two off it. GG 16/4 after 5 overs: Wareham hits the four of the innings. GG 12/4 after 4. 4 overs: WICKET! Oh dear. Sutherland gets a life with a dropped catch but soon after she goes for a sweep and is bowled. Great moment for the left-arm spinner Ishaque. Sutherland b Ishaque 6 (14b Go well Saika! ???? — PouLaMi #WPL #RoarMacha (@Crictopher17) March 4, 2023 #WPL2023 Issy Wong grew up watching Mumbai Indians. Now she's one of them by @mroller98 https://t. co/RQX4HAnTjY — Samreen (@SamreenRazz) March 4, 2023 Sutherland and Hemalatha have a huge task facing them. GG 11/3 after 4 overs: And Wong continues to impress, with her length and getting movement too with the new ball. Such a lovely action too. GG 5/3 after 2. 3 overs: And the procession continues. NSB brings one back, Meghana plays all around it. Meghana b Nat Sciver-Brunt 2 (4 balls) GG 4/2 after 2 overs: And it gets worse! Huge wicket and nearly halfway there MI, I’d say. After a super quick delivery, a length ball gets the outside edge and it’s a stunning catch at slip by Matthews. Gardner c Matthews b Wong 0 (1 balls) Gardner in early and she needs to play a blinder. GG 1/1 after 1 over: A nightmare start for GG. First Mooney walks off after seemingly jarring her knee. And later in the over, Harleen Deol is caught at deep third. Sciver-Brunt strikes early. Deol c Wong b Nat Sciver-Brunt 0 (2 balls) #WPL2023 That is not good. https://t. co/V2YotsnLXv pic. twitter. com/f37MYfcYvw — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 4, 2023 Mooney seems to be in some trouble. Hopefully, nothing major. #WPL2023 — Shajin MS (@SupertrampMS) March 4, 2023 Beth Mooney and S Meghana int he middle. If Giants chase this, it will be quite something Harman hit 14 fours in 29 balls. That's 1 four every two balls. Insanity! She got out on the 30th ball #WPL2023 https://t. co/jzxsPKM0WV — Sohini M. (@Mittermaniac) March 4, 2023 Women’s World T20 2018: Give Harmanpreet Kaur a big stage and she will make it her own This is the first time any side in Women's T20 cricket has crossed a total of 200+ on Indian soil - the 207/5 by Mumbai Indians #MIvGG at DY Patil, New Mumbai, tonight. Previous: 190/5 (20 ov) by Trailblazers vs Velocity at Pune on 26 May 2022. #WPL2023 #WPL #GGvMI — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 4, 2023 Captain @ImHarmanpreet led from the front with a stellar 65 off 30 deliveries as she becomes our Top Performer from the first innings! ???????? Take a look at her batting summary ✅ #TATAWPL | #GGvMI pic. twitter. com/VmBk7D2ytJ — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023 MI 207/5 after 20 overs: What a start. The bowlers struggled, the fielding was off the mark but that was some sensational ball-striking. Kerr starts the final over with a six, and MI fan Wong finishes it off in style too. #WPL2023 #GGvMI The first 200 of WPL in the first innings of WPL. Sensational innings from Harmanpreet Kaur, a stunning partnership with Amelia Kerr. And oh, MI fan Issy Wong finishes the innings with a six. WPL is here, folks. ???? MI: 207/5 https://t. co/JKQKoKvQVs pic. twitter. com/yHXFxmtajf — The Field (@thefield_in) March 4, 2023 One innings in to the WPL, Mumbai Indians have already beaten Trailblazers' 190/5 against Velocity. which was the record total in the Women's T20 Challenge. #WPL — hypocaust (@_hypocaust) March 4, 2023 #WPL2023 Sheeeesh, Kerr. What a shot! — Samreen (@SamreenRazz) March 4, 2023 MI 192/4 after 19 overs: Vastrakar hits three fours in the Gardner over. Going hard down the ground. Seven 4's on the trot is no mean feat Outstanding batting @ImHarmanpreet Toying with the field ???? #WPL2023 #WPL — DK (@DineshKarthik) March 4, 2023 MI 177/4 after 18 overs: Kerr carrying on from Kaur. Two fours in that Sutherland over. 65 off 30 balls. FOURTEEN 4s. Brilliant. [Replug from 2018] Give Harmanpreet Kaur a big stage, she will invariably own it. https://t. co/pui43niSo2 — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 4, 2023 MI 166/4 after 17 overs: WICKET! End of a sensational innings. Harmanpreet Kaur has lit it up, folks, Fourteen fours in her knock. And she walks off with a smile, as Rana smiles too after a breakthrough. Hit another brilliant four in that over too over extra cover. Kaur c Hemalatha b Rana 65 (30 balls) End of a great knock by Harmanpreet Kaur, 65 runs from 30 balls including 14 fours. A masterclass to kick start WPL. pic. twitter. com/2Oz2xRJ1ay — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 4, 2023 FIFTY FOR HARMANPREET! Remember the first match of the first standalone Women's T20 World Cup? She smashed a century! At the Women's Premier League opener, she scores the first (& a fantastic) #WPL 50. Captain @ImHarmanpreet - making women's cricket big moments, memorable ???? https://t. co/ywFuAlrH0M — Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) March 4, 2023 MI 159/3 after 16 overs: KAUR, KAUR! This is incredible. She has just gone on a sequence of SEVEN STRAIGHT FOURS over two overs. She is not overhitting anything, just timing like a dream. Gardner’s over goes for 14. #WPL2023 #GGvMI A flurry of fours from Harry! ???? MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur scores the first WPL half century. A sensational innings. https://t. co/JKQKoKvQVs pic. twitter. com/QBDcSqYiR8 — The Field (@thefield_in) March 4, 2023 MI 145/3 after 15 overs: KAUR! WHAT AN EXHIBITION! Three gorgeous fours on the off side. #WP2023 Hold the pose. Harmanpreet Kaur with possibly the shot of the day. A shot through the offside to remember on WBBL debut and now WPL debut. ✅ https://t. co/hoWsF55Hat pic. twitter. com/VeHNOyYzVI — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 4, 2023 MI 124/3 after 14 overs: Kerr is also a brilliant player of the sweep of the shot, two fours for her in the Rana over. The second one, another misfield at the boundary line. This one by Joshi. MI on the charge. #WPL2023 Harmanpreet Kaur striking at 192. ???? — Samreen (@SamreenRazz) March 4, 2023 MI 113/3 after 13 overs: Harmanrpeet Kaur picking up from where she (heartbreakingly) left off in South Africa. Two more fours in that Sutherland over. MI 103/3 after 12 overs: Sweeps galore. Two from Harman, one from Kerr. Wareham goes for plenty. And Harman again shows her range with the sweep. Harmanpreet Kaur can have all types of sweeps as a cuisine all day long. One behind square, followed by one in front of square. #GGvMI #WPL2023 — S. Sudarshanan (@Sudarshanan7) March 4, 2023 Just wanted to start off with speaking about your sweep shot. Has that always been your go-to shot? ( from our interview) Actually, I developed it over the years. When I used to play with boys early in my career, the ball used to come at me fast. And then when I started playing with girls, the speed went a little slower, and then sweep became my go-to shot. I could connect all the balls. Suddenly my game-plan changed. Nowadays, whenever I play the sweep shot, I am more comfortable actually. When I am bowling and somebody is sweeping all the time, it is so difficult to bowl. That is something that I picked up, whichever batter uses the crease and is moving a lot, that can trouble you while bowling. Those things are in my mind when I am batting too. MI 87/3 after 11 overs: Harmanpreet with back-to-back fours as Sneh Rana comes into the attack (rather late). The second was a lovely shot through cover MI 77/3 after 10 overs: WICKET! Big one for GG. Gardner brought back into the attack and she was hit through point for one lovely four but cant repeat it. End of a fine innings from the WI captain. Matthews b Gardner 47 (31 balls) #WPL2023 Just Hayley Matthews showing off her range at the moment. https://t. co/lAxqUO8lmL pic. twitter. com/DWkOApfP7c — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 4, 2023 Harmanpreet Kaur joins Hayley Matthews WOW pic. twitter. com/eHYXAzhtVl — s (@_sectumsempra18) March 4, 2023 MI 69/2 after 8. 5 overs: WICKET! Wareham strikes. Another six in that over for Matthews but after the strike is rotated, NSB is out caught at mid-off. Aggression from the MI batters evident though. Sciver-Brunt c Rana b Wareham 23 (18 balls) I mean she doesn't even need to bat and she will still be worth 40L courtesy of her outstanding bowling ability. — Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) March 4, 2023 MI 61/1 after 8 overs: Any new Mumbai Indians fans tonight will be delighted that Nat Sciver-Brunt plays for them. And actually, Hayley too. Two sixes in the Sutherland over, both sensational shots. First a flick behind square leg then over midwicket. Uff! Hayley Matthews! #WPL2023 https://t. co/lAxqUO8lmL pic. twitter. com/1ekuU6KPoA — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 4, 2023 MI 44/1 after 6 overs: After a slow start, that’s a good powerplay for MI. A signature extra cover drive by Matthews for four and a sweep by NSB for four off Kanwer’s bowling. MI 35/1 after 5 overs: Oh, that’s a big over for MI. Monica Patel, left-arm pacer, struggles with her line, strayin on the leg side for Sciver-Brunt. Put away for two fours, not great fielding at the end of that over by Meghana. ICYMI! Tanuja Kanwar scalps the first wicket in the history of #TATAWPL ???????? #MI move to 22-1 after 4 overs. #GGvMI pic. twitter. com/uNz3qjWy85 — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 4, 2023 MI 22/1 after 4 overs: One short ball in that over that Sciver-Brunt was quick to pounce on for a four. This is still a fine start though for GG, not letting MI get away. It's great that Tanuja Kanwer takes the 1st ever wicket in #WPL Have always sai