The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, Pratyush Rohra. Do stay tuned to Sportskeeda since there is a lot of cricket coming up. There are still ECL matches left for the day while a couple of PSL matches, a WPL game and several ECL fixtures are lined up for Tuesday too. We are never short of cricketing action here at Sportskeeda!
Hayley Matthews (Player of the Match): (Difference between the first game and this one) I didn't see much difference. Probably got to bat longer today. The freedom in this MI team has given me a lot of confidence. Yeah I think, just trying to watch the ball closely. For sure, knew that we were going to be under pressure against two quality players in Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine. Was nice to come back and get the two wickets. I am just enjoying it with this group. We have so many match-winners that it helps me free up.
Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians captain): I think batting was the same and the bowling we did in the first game was much better. However, the plus point was that we got regular breakthroughs. We just wanted to back ourselves. Wanted to chase and that was a good thing. Everyone in the team is ready to do whatever comes their way. I am really happy that everyone is enjoying in the team. Sometimes, it happens in T20s that you want a fielder everywhere. If we give the bowlers an extra second or two to regroup, it helps!
Kanika Ahuja bags the 'Safari Powerful Striker of the Match' award!
Time for the Post-match Presentation!
Natalie Sciver-Brunt: If the batting track is great, then sure why not (enjoying her batting). At the start, I was probably trying to over hit a little hit but Hayley reminded me that if you play proper shots, you'll get the runs. We're working pretty well together. When she plays shots as she can, it's great from the other end. We talk about the bowlers but the wicket was really good, so we don't have to talk a lot. (A shot from Hayley Matthews she'd like to add to her arsenal?) I'd like the backfoot shot over extra cover. Behind square for six would also be nice. (Bowling) I guess we were lucky tonight, we managed to keep taking wickets. We stopped them from scoring 200 plus. The expectation is that you'll go for a lot of runs but make sure you're not too predictable. We're enjoying it and having a good time. Everyone is enjoying each other's success and the tournament together. It's not just about the eleven on the pitch. Everyone's done a brilliant job in training, in the warm-ups and even keeping us hydrated.
Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bangalore captain): We would have loved to put on a better score on this sort of wicket. We were below par and accept that, work on things, and come back harder. I think 2-3 batters got 20s-30s but we couldn't make it count and couldn't put up a big score for the team. We'll try and address that and take the game deeper. We have a good bowling side with enough options. We were below par, so nothing for the bowlers today. As batters, we have to put up better totals on the board. (Plans after a couple of losses) It's a pretty short tournament so we can't dwell on it. As a leader, it's important for me to be positive. It happens in franchise cricket and if you get one win, you can get some more. So, we'll look to move on from this. A lot of positives in terms of Shreyanka and Kanika. Really positive to see the way they took responsibility to get us to a decent total.
MATCH OVER!
Mumbai Indians win by nine wickets!
Royal Challengers Bangalore 155-10 (18.4) Mumbai Indians 159-1 (14.2)
What a dominant win for Mumbai Indians and a dominant to start to the tournament in general. They have put down the marker as the team to beat in this WPL. The bowling performance was professional as they rolled over RCB for a below-par 155. Thereafter, the MI opening pair of Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia started well with the runs flowing in the Powerplay. Left-arm spinner, Preeti Bose eventually dismissed Yastika in the 5th over but MI weren't in a mood to slow down.
RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana tried various bowling changes but none worked as Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt would the fence with alarming consistency. They didn't help themselves with numerous fumbles even though better fielding might not necessarily have produced a better result.
RCB have a lot of thinking to do as their bowling attack looked harmless even after taking into account the pitches have been flat so far. However, it is all rosy for MI who look to have all bases covered so far!
14.2 Ellyse Perry to Nat Sciver-Brunt, FOUR! GAME. SET. MATCH! Mumbai Indians win by 9 wickets and make it two wins in two! On the fuller side at the off-stump, swiped through the gap between mid-on and mid-wicket with the ball racing across the outfield as it has all day long. It's another commanding victory for MI, much to the delight of the crowd and dug out!
14.1 Ellyse Perry to Nat Sciver-Brunt, FOUR! Fifty for Nat-Sciver Brunt! At the back of a length and wide outside the off-stump. She stands tall and unleashes a flat-batted slap to split the gap between mid-off and extra cover. What a knock. What a player!
Ellyse Perry [1-0-10-0] is back into the attack
A decent over from Preeti Bose in general but won't help RCB given the match situation. MI require five runs off 36 balls now!
14
overs
151/1score
1
1
1
1
1
1
runs
Natalie Sciver*
47(27)
Hayley Matthews
77(38)
Preeti Bose
1/34
13.6 Preeti Bose to Nat Sciver-Brunt, flighted full and outside the off-stump. Nat wanted to smack this down the ground but ended up slicing it over extra cover. Only picks up a single at wide long-off eventually
13.5 Preeti Bose to Hayley Matthews, pitched up on the off-stump line. Matthews pushes it towards long-off for another single
13.4 Preeti Bose to Nat Sciver-Brunt, pitches it up outside the off-stump. Carved out towards extra cover where half a stop only allows a single. Brings up the fifty for Sciver, apparently! No, not yet
13.3 Preeti Bose to Hayley Matthews, floats it up full and on the pads. Matthews whips it along the turf for a single at deep mid-wicket
13.2 Preeti Bose to Nat Sciver-Brunt, pushed through full and straight. Nat backs away to bunt it down to long-off
13.1 Preeti Bose to Hayley Matthews, floated full on the middle stump line. Matthews clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single
20 runs off the over. Nothing is going right for RCB here with two mis-fielded boundaries in the over. Unfortunate for young Shreyanka Patil who hasn't had a good time with the ball after producing a good cameo with the bat!