Fortunes Of Mumbai Indians Rest Heavily On Nat Sciver-Brunt : Mithali Raj

Defending Champions Mumbai Indians came back strongly in their second game to beat the Delhi Capitals after the first loss in the TATA WPL 2026 opener. Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live’, JioStar experts Mithali Raj and Katey Martin shared their thoughts on Delhi Capitals' batting collapse, Mumbai Indians' improved show with the ball and two senior pros putting their hand up with the bat for them.

Speaking exclusively on ‘Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Mithali Raj reflected on Delhi Capitals collapse in contrast with the Mumbai Indians show with the bat: “Two seniors stood up in the middle order for Mumbai Indians, and when you have a run chase like that, you want a good powerplay. You want Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee to give you the sort of start that is required, and then you have players like Laura Wolvaardt and Jemimah Rodrigues to follow. The top five couldn’t really put even a hundred runs on the board, and that is something Delhi Capitals will be very disappointed with.”

On Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur's knock Mithali explains: “From the time she walked in, she was timing the ball well. She didn’t take many deliveries to get her eye in. She continued from where she left off on Friday, scoring those 30-odd runs, and the shots she played were very clean. The bat swing, how she picked the length, she was playing in the areas she was targeting, and she picked her bowlers as well when the spinners came on. That one big over from Minnu Mani, although boundaries were hit by Nat Sciver-Brunt, both of them picked up momentum there. There was a shift in the game, and from then on, she was playing shots at will.”

On Nat Sciver-Brunt's knock and her role in the Mumbai Indians line-up: “When it comes to her form, she might have a couple of quiet games, but you know there is always a big innings coming from her. When she walked in, the approach and intent she showed suggested she wanted to contribute to the team. She didn’t do that in the last game, but as a unit, Mumbai Indians were aware that if they wanted to get across the line, she had to come good. The fortunes of Mumbai Indians rest heavily on her. When she does well, everybody else around her just gets going.”

Speaking exclusively on ‘Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Katey Martin elaborated on the improvements Mumbai Indians bowlers made against the Delhi Capitals: “I think they adjusted their plans really well. They bowled a lot straighter and at better lengths. Amelia Kerr is so effective through the middle, but she had the platform created early by other bowlers. I thought Shabnim Ismail’s execution was top-notch, even though she was unlucky not to get Lizelle Lee out a little earlier with that bumper plan. I think Nicola Carey bowled perfect deliveries for those two types of players, where you want to beat them on the inside edge. So, it was really clear in terms of planning from Mumbai Indians bowlers, and the execution was pinpoint in comparison to Friday against RCB, including the key moments like the catch from Kamalini to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues. We saw a number of dropped catches on Friday that potentially shifted the game. So I think it was those quick improvements and a positive shift in attitude.”