West Indies Women’s Captain Hayley Matthews returns in the Women’s Premier League Twenty20 tournament when her side, Mumbai Indians (MI), scored a five-wicket win against Gujarat Giants in a low-scoring match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in India.
The 25-year-old Barbadian all-rounder, took 1 for 33 from her allotted four overs with her off-spin, after the Giants were put in to bat crawling to 126 for 9.
Matthews made seven before she was caught at deep mid-wicket in the third over, from left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar with MI reaching 39 for 2 at the end of the Power Play.
An unbeaten 46 from her captain Harmanpreet Kaur guided MI through a successful run chase with 11 balls remaining to hand them their second win in the tournament, keeping them firmly on top of the standings.
But MI owed their success mainly to a Player-of-the-Match performance from New Zealand Women’s all-rounder Amelia Kerr, whose four for 17 from her four overs undermined the Giants batting, and her 31 off 25 balls plus 66-run partnership with Kaur for the fourth wicket.
However, in the following game, Matthews got her batting groove back, but her resolute half-century failed to inspire Mumbai Indians Women, and Uttar Pradesh Warriorz Women beat them by seven wickets in the Women’s Premier League Twenty20.
Matthews smacked nine fours and one six in a top score of 55 from 47 balls which contributed greatly to MI total of 161 for 6 of their allocated 20 overs after being put in to bat.
But Matthews leaked 32 runs from her four overs without taking a wicket with her off-spin when her side took the field, and consistent batting down the order led by a power-packed 57 from Kiran Navgire bounded to victory with 21 balls remaining.
