Harmanpreet Kaur, Bhatia fifties help MI beat DC in final-ball thriller in WPL opener
Bengaluru, Feb 23: Forceful fifties by Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia helped defending champions Mumbai Indians ace a thrilling final-ball chase to beat Delhi Capitals by four wickets in the Women's Premier League (WPL 2024) opener here on Friday.
Skipper Harmanpreet made 55 (34b, 7x4, 1x6) as Mumbai scaled down 172 off the last ball and she was helped a great deal by Yastika, who made 57 off 45 balls (8x4, 2x6).
The 19-year-old Alice Capsey's power-packed 75 (53b, 8x4, 3x6) was a perfect vindication of her future star as she guided Delhi Capitals to 171 for five, setting a tall barrier in front of Mumbai.
But the Mumbai outfit stayed in the match through fine efforts by Yastika and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Despite their concerted efforts, Mumbai still needed 12 runs off the last over bowled by off-spinner Capsey, who was later adjudged player of the match.
Capsey ousted Harmanpreet and Pooja Vastrakar in the first and fifth balls of the 20th over as Mumbai were left to make five runs off the last ball.
But Sajana Sajeevan slammed the only ball she faced over the long-on fence to spark wild celebrations in the Mumbai camp.
But Mumbai began their target hunting on a disastrous note, losing Hayley Matthews in the second ball of the first over itself -- a loose drive outside off-stump off pacer Marizanne Kapp ended in the hands of stumper Taniya Bhatia.
But Mumbai kept moving forward through two successive fifty stands involving Yastika, whose harsh treatment of veteran pacer Shikha Pandey (4, 4, 6) made for grand viewing.
The aggressive left-hander first added an even fifty (35 balls) for the second wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt (19) and followed it up with a 56-run alliance with Harmanpreet in 7.1 overs for the third wicket.
Yastika reached her fifty in 35 balls with a six over long-on off left-arm spinner Radha Yadav but she did not last long as a pull off pacer Arundhati Reddy was snaffled by Kapp at deep mid-wicket.
However, Harmanpreet, who was dropped on five by Minnu Mani at mid-wicket off Arundhati, added 44 runs for the fourth wicket in 28 balls as Mumbai stayed afloat.
Earlier, Capsey joined her skipper Meg Lanning (31, 25b, 3x4, 1x6) after opener Shafali Verma was castled early by veteran pacer Shabnim Ismail.
Capsey and Lanning mustered 64 runs in just over eight overs after making a steady start. Delhi were 26 for 1 after the six Power Play overs.
But Capsey started the blitz, bunting experienced English pacer Nat Sciver-Brunt for two successive pulled fours through mid-wicket.
Lanning hammered the first six of the match and tournament when she lofted leg-spinner S Keerthana over long-on. But Brunt broke the burgeoning alliance when she ousted Lanning.
But Capsey remained relentless in the company of her vice-captain Jemimah Rodrigues (42, 24, 5x4, 2x6), and together they added 73 runs for an entertaining third wicket partnership in 7.3 overs.
She was particularly ruthless against leg-spinner and countrymate Amelia Kerr, whom she slammed for a couple of fours.
However, Kerr had the last laugh when she trapped Capsey leg before but the Capitals were already in a position of strength. However, it was not just enough on the night.
πππ½ππππππΌπ½ππ!
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024
5 off 1 needed and S Sajana seals the game with a MAXIMUM very first ballπ€―π₯
A final-over thriller in the very first game of #TATAWPL Season 1 π€©π₯
Scorecard π»π± https://t.co/GYk8lnVpA8#TATAWPL | #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/Lb6WUzeya0
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No clarity on US-Iran talks as Islamabad stays under lockdown
Islamabad (PTI): Large parts of Pakistan's capital remain under a tight security lockdown for over a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty persisted over the proposed second round of talks between the US and Iran.
Arterial roads leading into Islamabad are sealed, while the Red Zone, housing key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a strict security cordon.
In the adjacent commercial 'Blue Area', markets are deserted, cafes are running short of supplies, and public transport disruptions with no service at bus terminals have left commuters stranded.
For residents, uncertainty has become the hardest part. Islamabad is a city of transients, where many residents work during βthe week and return to family homes at the weekend.
This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier sealed on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal. The city briefly reopened before restrictions were reimposed as Pakistan prepared to host another round of engagements, which has yet to materialise.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a social media post on Saturday.
He said the Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad "for an official visit" and Araghchi will be "meeting with Pakistani high-level officials in concert with their ongoing mediation and good offices for ending American-imposed war of aggression and the restitution of peace in our region".
As the Iranian team landed in Islamabad, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner would be leaving for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in direct talks" with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
“Everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary, but first, Steve and Jared will be going over there to report back to the president, the vice president and the rest of the team,” she said.
However, the US team has not yet arrived.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, in a social media post, expressed hope for "meaningful engagements" between the two warring parties to promote regional peace and stability.
The Foreign Office here said Iranian foreign minister Araghchi will hold meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments as well as ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability.
"Following key discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected to be held in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday," a government official said.
He said a US logistics and security team is already present in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.
Araghchi, before leaving for Islamabad, said that he was embarking on a timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, and the purpose of his visits is to "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments".
"Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
