Mumbai Indians crowned champions of maiden WPL edition: Interesting stats

The maiden Women's Premier League (WPL) edition witnessed Mumbai Indians win the coveted trophy. It was a dream run for the Harmanpreet Kaur-captained side. After scaling several heights for Team India, she has powered MIW to glory. Meanwhile, the Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals Women finished as the runners-up after losing to MIW. Notably, Harmanpreet has won her first-ever T20 league championship.

DCW were off to a patchy start after Meg Lanning elected to bat first. They managed just 38/3 in the Powerplay. The Capitals lost six wickets for as many runs in 5.4 overs. However, Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav propelled to 131/9 from 79/9. MIW too lost two quick wickets, but Nat Sciver-Brunt (60*) got them home in a final-over thriller (134/3).

Shikha and Radha inspired hope in the DCW camp after they were reduced to 79/9. The duo added a 52-run stand off just 24 balls. Shikha managed a 17-ball 27 (3 fours, 1 six), while Radha scored 27* off 12 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes). Shikha and Radha registered the first-ever 50+ partnership for the 10th wicket across women's T20Is or franchise leagues.

During the Eliminator between MIW and UP Warriorz, pacer Issy Wong claimed the first hat-trick of the WPL. Wong finished with 4/15 and claimed her hat-trick in the 13th over of Warriorz's innings. She became the sixth bowler to claim four-plus wickets in a WPL match this season. Wong is also the second MI bowler after Saika Ishaque to claim a four-wicket haul.

As per Kausthub Gudipati, Wong is just the third player to take a hat-trick in knockouts of franchise T20 leagues. Parvinder Awana (in Champions League 2014) and Rashid Khan (in Caribbean Premier League 2017) are the only men to do so.

DCW Seamer Tara Norris claimed a five-wicket haul in the season's second match against Royal Challengers Bangalore Women. Tara Norris, who hails from the United States, scripted history in her maiden WPL encounter. She scalped five wickets for 29 runs in four overs. Norris is the only player from an Associate Nation to feature in the tournament.

DCW restricted Gujarat Giants to 105/9 in match number nine at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. The Giants were outfoxed by Marizanne Kapp, who took a brilliant five-wicket haul. The right-arm seamer registered her best figures of the WPL (5/15). It was just the third fifer of the tournament. Kapp finished with the best figures of WPL 2023.

Sophie Devine powered RCB to a massive eight-wicket win over GG in match number 16. Devine was on course for the fastest women's T20 hundred but was dismissed for 99. She faced just 36 balls for her stupendous knock as RCB chased down GG's 189-run target in 15.3 overs. Her 99 became the highest individual score of WPL 2023.

Devine smashed eight sixes, which is the highest by any player in a WPL match. Shafali Verma and Ellyse Perry (5 each) follow suit. Devine smashed 84 runs from fours and sixes. It is the best returns in boundaries, surpassing Alyssa Healy's 78.

DCW skipper Lanning finished with the most runs in WPL 2023. She was the first batter to have reached 300 runs in the tournament. Lanning racked up 345 runs from nine matches at an incredible average of 49.28. The tally includes a strike rate of 139.11. MIW's Nat Sciver-Brunt follows Lanning on the tally, with 332 runs at 66.40.

Mumbai Indians are the first-ever champions of the Women's Premier League. Their captain Harmanpreet has won a T20 league championship for the first time. Overall, MI have won their sixth title in Indian T20 tournaments (Indian Premier League or WPL). The Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians have lifted the IPL trophy five times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020).