Nat Sciver\u2011Brunt and captain Harmanpreet Kaur set the tone with authoritative knocks of 70 and 74 not out to guide MI to 195\/4. DC\u2019s chase faltered from the outset as their top order collapsed inside the powerplay.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
From there, despite Chinelle Henry\u2019s 56, the pursuit of 195 became increasingly out of reach as DC were bowled out for 149 in 19 overs, as MI opened their account in an emphatic fashion. For MI, Amelia Kerr and Nicola Carey bowled decisive spells to pick three-fers each.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked to bat first, MI showed greater intent as compared to their previous outing. Though the openers fell early, Nat anchored the innings with her sparkling 13 boundaries to hit 70 off 46 balls. She also shared a 66-run stand with Harmanpreet, who was at her blistering best to hit an unbeaten 74 off 42 balls, laced with eight fours and three sixes, and push MI to an above-par total by feasting on DC\u2019s many hittable deliveries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
DC had a brilliant start as Amelia Kerr\u2019s opening woes led to her playing a loose drive off Chinelle Henry and wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee dived to her right to take the catch on her second attempt. Nat collected her first boundary by driving firmly past mid\u2011off for four, before pushing in the gap through off-side to pick another boundary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The England skipper followed it up with a series of crisp strokes \u2013 swatting Marizanne Kapp for four, before swiping and lofting Chinelle for consecutive boundaries. G Kamalini opened her account with singles against Marizanne Kapp before a lucky outside edge got her a boundary. But Nat continued to accelerate \u2013 shuffling across to sweep Sree Charani twice to the fence in the fifth over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The breakthrough for DC came when debutant pacer Nandani Sharma, after being hit for back\u2011to\u2011back boundaries by Kamalini, forced the left-hander to drive at a very full ball and was caught behind by Lizelle for 16. Nat continued to pick boundaries with precision \u2013 reverse-sweeping and pulling off Sneh Raha, before punching Charani through the gap at cover.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After getting her fifty off 32 balls, Nat punished Minnu Mani by hitting three boundaries in five balls \u2013 driving over extra cover, flat\u2011batting over the infield and pulled in front of square. Harmanpreet, meanwhile, broke the shackles by lifting Chinelle\u2019s slower ball over long\u2011on for six before lofting the next delivery over mid\u2011off for four.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nat attempted to drive Charani over extra cover but failed to generate elevation, as the fielder held a sharp catch to end a fluent 70-run knock. Harmanpreet led MI\u2019s surge by driving Charani and slogging Sneh for boundaries, while Nicola Carey provided valuable support, striking successive fours off Sneh Rana via reverse sweep and cut.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The duo took a boundary each off Marizanne, before Harmanpreet raised her fifty by swinging a full toss from Minnu over mid-wicket for six. But Nicola fell for 21 when she looked to pull off Nandani, but the ball crashed into the stumps. Harmanpreet ended the innings in style by striking Charani for four consecutive boundaries - slicing, sweeping, lofting and slicing \u2013 as 19 runs came off the final over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lizelle Lee began DC\u2019s chase by picking two early fours, but chipped to mid-on off Nat Sciver-Brunt for 10. Shafali Verma followed her to the pavilion after being castled through the gate by an inswinger from Nicola Carey, who later got some nip back in to rattle Laura Wolvaardt\u2019s off-stump.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jemimah Rodrigues first outing as DC skipper ended at just one when she went for a flashy cut off Shabnim, but was caught by keeper G Kamalini diving to complete a sharp one\u2011handed take, as MI\u2019s disciplined new\u2011ball attack dismantled their top order even before the powerplay had ended.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
DC\u2019s troubles deepened when Marizanne Kapp played a lofted drive off a pitched\u2011up delivery from Nicola, but only managed to get an outside edge and was caught by short third fielder for ten. Niki Prasad and Chinelle Henry provided brief resistance by striking six boundaries between themselves, before a googly from Amelia Kerr castled the former while trying to go across the line.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jemimah Rodrigues first outing as DC skipper ended at just one when she went for a flashy cut off Shabnim, but was caught by keeper G Kamalini diving to complete a sharp one\u2011handed take, as MI\u2019s disciplined new\u2011ball attack dismantled their top order even before the powerplay had ended.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 195\/4 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 74 not out, Nat Sciver-Brunt 70; Nandani Sharma 2-26, Chinelle Henry 1-32) beat Delhi Capitals 145 all out in 19 overs (Chinelle Henry 56; Amelia Kerr 3-24, Nicola Carey 3-37) by 50 runs<\/p>\r\n\r\n