In a surprising turn of events at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 Match 06 between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz, Mumbai Indians’ skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was notably absent during the toss. The absence raised questions among fans and pundits alike, especially considering Mumbai’s strong performance in the tournament so far.
Reason revealed by Nat Sciver-Brunt
Nat Sciver-Brunt, the senior cricketer representing Mumbai Indians during the toss, shed light on Harmanpreet’s absence. According to Sciver-Brunt, Harman was nursing a niggle, which prompted the team management to rest her for the game against UP Warriorz. Additionally, Shabnim Ismail was also sidelined due to a similar issue.
“Harman has got a niggle, too early in the competition and we wanted to rest her. Shabmin Ismail has a niggle and she misses out as well. Harman has led us well, I’ve picked up a bit from her. Lots of chants for RCB, but we’ve done well to silence the crowd as well,” said Sciver-Brunt during the toss.
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Impact on Mumbai Indians’ lineup
Despite the absence of their captain and key player, Mumbai Indians fielded a formidable lineup for the match. With players like Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr in the squad, Mumbai aimed to maintain their winning streak and secure a crucial victory against UP Warriorz.
Playing XIs of both sides
Mumbai Indians: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Issy Wong, S Sajana, Humaira Kazi, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque
UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy (c abd wk), Vrinda Dinesh, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Shweta Sehrawat, Kiran Navgire, Poonam Khemnar, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
