WPL 2025: Mumbai Indians – Road to title

Late in the day, they signed an unsold Hayley Matthews for a base price.

These are all players who could turn any game on its head singlehandedly.

It was baffling how the other four teams allowed Charlottee Edwards and her team to walk away with four world-class all-rounders. The fate of what was to follow was almost sealed.

With the quartet firing in unison in the inaugural edition back in 2023, the Mumbai Indians coasted to be crowned the inaugural champions. The other seven members in the team weren’t required to play much of a role then.

In the second edition last year, Royal Challengers Bengaluru stopped them in their tracks in the eliminator en route their title-winning run.

But it was always going to be an anomaly, wasn’t it?

It is not often that you beat a team with Kaur, Sciver-Brunt, Kerr, and Matthews. And it certainly isn’t often that you build a team with the four in it.

Add to it Shabnim Ismail – the veteran South African pacer – and you know why the team is regarded as the best in the league.

With rumors of a mega-auction doing rounds, the third edition was all Mumbai Indians had to stamp their authority in the league.

On Saturday, they did exactly that. An eight-run win over Delhi Capitals, who have now lost three consecutive finals, in the WPL.

It was the usual suspects who stood out for the Mumbai Indians in the title clash. But this time, they required support from the other end.

Kaur (66) top scored after entering the crease with score reading 14/2. She stitched an 89-run partnership with Sciver-Brunt (30), who finished as the highest run scorer in the tournament.

Cameos from the young Amanjot Kaur, G Kamalini, and Sanskriti Gupta then propelled the team closer to the 150-run mark after a scare.

Sciver-Brunt, having not been at her finest with the bat, then turned the final around with the ball. She struck thrice in the match, including the wickets of Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp – two of the most experienced batters in the Delhi Capitals set-up.

Kerr weaved the magic with her leg spin, scalping two, including the ominous-looking Jemimah Rodrigues, whereas Matthews and Ismail also chipped in with a wicket apiece.

The two-time champions lost only three matches in the 2025 season – two of them against the Capitals in the league stages.

But when it mattered in the big final, their big guns stepped up to see them through.

Such was the Mumbai Indians’ domination that both the top five run-scoring and wicket-taking charts had three names from the team.

While Matthews (307 runs and 18 wickets) and Sciver-Brunt (523 runs and 12 wickets) featured in both lists, Amelia Kerr (18 wickets) finished as the highest wicket-taker.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur joined Matthews and Brunt in the top run-scorers list with 302 runs.

Road to final

Lost to DC by 2 wickets

The Mumbai Indians did not have the best of starts to their 2025 WPL season, losing their opening match to the Delhi Capitals at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.

It was a closely fought match where the debutant Niki Prasad helped the Capitals to a two-wicket win with a composed 35 off 33.

Sciver-Brunt (80) top scored in the first innings for the champions, while Matthews and Kerr picked up two wickets apiece.

Beat GG by 5 wickets

Mumbai Indians got their campaign back on track against the Gujarat Giants just days later.

A three-wicket haul for Matthews and two wickets each for Kerr and Sciver-Brunt helped them bowl the Giants out for a mere 120.

Sciver-Brunt (57) later scored her second consecutive half-century as Mumbai Indians romped home with five wickets and 23 balls to spare.

Beat RCB by 4 wickets

Mumbai Indians got the better of the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their third match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The two-time champions overcame a stunning onslaught by Ellyse Perry in the contest.

Sciver-Brunt (42) and Harmanpreet Kaur (50) helped Mumbai Indians stay in the hunt after a poor start to the chase.

The young Amanjot Kaur closed the match off with an unbeaten 34. She had Kamalini (11*) for company at the end.

Beat UPW by 8 wickets

Quite possibly the Mumbai Indians’ most comfortable win during their title-winning run.

With a three-wicket haul for Sciver-Brunt and two apiece for Ismail and the young Gupta, they restricted the Warriorz to 141/9.

Sciver-Brunt then also led the charge with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 75 off 44 for her third half-century of the season. Matthews also chipped in with a 50-ball 59 to help the team to a hat-trick of wins.

Lost to DC by 9 wickets

The Delhi Capitals brought an end to the Mumbai Indians' winning streak, registering a commanding nine-wicket win.

As Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt endured a rare failure with the bat, the Mumbai Indians were restricted to 123/9 in their 20 overs.

The Capitals chased the total with over five wickets to spare as Lanning (60 *) and Shafali Verma (43 *) ran away with the contest in the chase.

Beat UPW by 6 wickets

Mumbai Indians bounced back well, winning their very next match. Though not as comfortable as their previous win, they completed a double over the UP Warriorz.

A five-wicket haul from Kerr helped Mumbai Indians restrict the Warriorz to 150/9 in the first innings.

Later, a half-century from Matthews (67) ensured they chased the total down without much struggle.

Beat GG by 9 runs

Led by a half-century from Harmanpreet (54), Mumbai Indians posted a challenging 179/6 in front of their home crowd against the Gujarat Giants.

They were given a scare by a fiery 25-ball 61 by Bharti Fulmali but managed to eke out a victory. Kerr and Matthews finished with a three-wicket haul.

Lost to RCB by 11 runs

The last league stage match of the competition against Royal Challengers Bengaluru would have helped Mumbai Indians earn an automatic spot in the final.

However, it was not to be, as Smriti Mandhana and co had their revenge in Mumbai.

A half-century from Mandhana (54) and a good knock from Perry (49*) helped the Royal Challengers to post a massive 199/3 against a clueless Mumbai Indians bowling unit.

In reply, Mumbai Indians struggled as no batter other than Sciver-Brunt (69) got going. They still huffed and puffed their way to 188/9 to limit the margin of loss.

Beat GG by 47 runs (Eliminator)

Mumbai Indians completed a hat-trick of wins over the Gujarat Giants, beating them by 47 runs in the eliminator.

Batting first, Mumbai Indians posted a massive 213/4 in their 20 overs. Matthews and Sciver-Brunt both registered identical scores of 77, while Harmanpreet hit a 12-ball 36 in the first innings.

They then bowled the Giants out for 166, with Matthews picking up three wickets.

Beat DC by 8 runs (Final)

The all-important final saw the Mumbai Indians beat the Capitals for the first time in the season.

They posted 149/7 in 20 overs, led by a half-century from Harmanpreet, before Sciver Brunt and Kerr shared five wickets among themselves to win a second Women’s Premier League title.