END OF OVER:
20 | 16 Runs 1 Wkt | MI-W: 188/9 (12 runs required, RR: 9.40)

  • Parunika Sisodia0 (1b)
  • Shabnim Ismail4 (1b)
  • Ellyse Perry4-0-53-2
  • Kim Garth4-0-33-2

11:25pm That brings us to the end of our coverage for tonight. The league stage is done and like 2023 and 2024, the Delhi Capitals finish at the top of the standings to go through to the final. The Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, will play yet another Eliminator, and will be up against the Gujarat Giants, making their maiden playoff appearance. That contest will take place on Thursday and we hope to have your company for what promises to be another thriller. Until then, this is goodbye from all of us here at ESPNcricinfo. Take care, folks!

Sneh Rana, Player of the Match: (On her shoulder injury) It is fine now (laughs). (On the bowling plans) Pretty simple for the bowlers - you have to adjust your lengths. We had to take the pace off and adjust our lengths (on this pitch). I am an incoming bowler to the right-handers, so she used me well (bowling with the longer leg-side boundary). The captain has that responsibility to use the bowlers properly and she did that very well. Whenever I feel I can give some inputs to any department, I give it to the players. I was unsold (at the auction) but I want to say thanks to the RCB management for giving me this opportunity. Really thankful and looking forward to the next season.

Smriti Mandhana, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain: We just discussed that we started on a high and finished on a high but lost a lot of momentum mid-way (smiles). Not having your five or six players who would play in the playing eleven, missing all the bowlers…the way we started, we felt that it will not be a huge thing for us. A lot of tosses did not go our way as well. In cricket, you can say all those things but you have to fight it out as a team and we could not step up - that is something all of us will learn (from). (On using just five bowlers tonight) Whenever I was thinking (to get the others on), Nat was smashing a 12-run over. They (Joshitha and Rawat) are excellent bowlers but I thought about sticking to experience - that is what gets us through. (On her innings) Just wanted to go out and play positive cricket (tonight). Being in touch and not scoring was eating away at me, so nice to contribute (tonight). (On the fans) They are the best fans for a reason. You play in Mumbai, Vadodara, Lucknow, wherever you play, whether you are winning or losing, they keep backing the players and the team. I remember one instance where we lost the fourth game (in Bengaluru) and we needed 25 off one ball, the whole stadium was going "RCB, RCB". Hopefully we can pick ourselves up and give something back next year.

Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai Indians captain: This ground is about saving those boundaries. In the last two overs, we gave away 40 runs - that cost us. Otherwise, we were in the game. We knew 180 is chaseable. Those runs cost us and still, our team batted very well. The match was on till Sajana was batting. The way she was batting, we were hoping she could win the match for us. Good to see other batters also come up with contributions. The outfield is very fast (here) and we have to stop boundaries, and that is going to play a big role. We have to come up with some good plans that will help us. (On the wrist injury) I will be fine. (On Kerr opening) We still have one more day before our next game. We will sit and think what is the best for us. (On their past record against the Gujarat Giants) I think we just need to stay calm and in the moment. Cricket is a game of winning small moments. I know we have a great record against them, they are looking good but we have to come up with positive plans and play our best cricket. (On Amanjot Kaur) She is someone who is working in three departments, good to see the way she is performing and contributing. She is a key player for us.

Richa Ghosh: (Season as a batter) It was a good season for me, I built a bit of momentum at the start, struck the ball well today as well. Whenever I get time, I try to spend more time working on my batting and how I can take the team forward, even when early wickets fall and I have to go in early. I back my style and then I see if I need to change anything based on the pitch and the conditions. I am enjoying my keeping more and more.

10:59pm Another enthralling game of cricket, and even though the Mumbai Indians seemed out of it when the final over began, they found a lease of life through Sajana. She smashed successive sixes and for a moment, the impossible was on the cards. But then, Perry did what Perry does, and she came up clutch, despite not having her greatest day with the ball.

Before that final-over drama, RCB, led by their spinners Rana and Wareham, had squeezed MI into submission. The hosts never mustered enough sustained momentum to have a pop at the target, with Sciver-Brunt's knock and Sajana's cameo towards the end the only real worries for RCB. MI now have to do it the hard way, but they will take heart from the fact that they have done this once before, while also knowing that the team that has finished top of the table in the league phase has never ever won the WPL.

19.6
0
Perry to Sisodia, no run, The streak…is over! It has taken teams six games but the Mumbai Indians, after three seasons, finally lose a game at the Brabourne Stadium! Some respite for RCB, who have been battered and bruised this season, but end their campaign the way they began it - with a win! And the Delhi Capitals, like always, finish top and qualify directly for the final! Angled in full on off. Sisodia drives it tamely to mid off and the batters do not even attempt a single. A dot to finish another engaging game of cricket, and the Mumbai Indians, who had never lost at this ground prior to tonight, lose the game that would have taken them to within a game of the title they won two years back. Smiles and handshakes in the RCB camp. They have prevented MI from getting to where they would have wanted to be, but a resigned look soon engulfs them, almost as if they are wondering while walking off what this season might have been!

Sisodia to face what should be the last ball of this game

19.5
W
Perry to Sajana, OUT, goes a mile up, but no distance at all. Taken by Meghana, and Perry holds her nerve just enough to send Sajana back! Hard length on middle and leg. Holds in the surface a shade and bounces extra, which causes the miscue. Sajana gets a fat top edge on her swipe and Meghana, settling under it at short fine leg, completes the catch. Sajana throws her head back in disappointment. That was there to be hit but she just could not execute well enough!

S Sajana c Meghana b Perry 23 (23m 12b 1x4 2x6) SR: 191.66

Two sixes, and MI will be home

19.4
0
Perry to Sajana, no run, a massive, massive dot ball! Back of a length outside off and this skids off the surface. Sajana tries to charge and slash it over the off side but is incredibly late on the stroke. Just a fresh-air shot

12 off 3. How are the nerves now, eh?

19.3
6
Perry to Sajana, SIX, back to back sixes for S Sajana, and this crowd comes to life! Oh my word - is this really happening?! Into the track outside off and this sits up nicely for Sajana. She lines it up and clobbers the living daylights out of it. Flat over wide long on, and MI need only 12 more now!

18 off 4. MI not out of it just yet

19.2
6
Perry to Sajana, SIX, make that 18 off 4! Mumbai are still alive, folks! Right in the slot outside off. Sajana's eyes light up and she swings through the line, walloping it over the bowler's head!

24 off 5 now

19.2
1w
Perry to Sajana, 1 wide, another bumper and this bounces up a fair bit. Sajana, having backed away, misses with her swish and the square leg umpire calls it a wide this time
19.2
1w
Perry to Sajana, 1 wide, banged into the track and this just drifts down leg. Sajana swipes and misses, and the umpire has no qualms in calling it a wide. But hang on, RCB have reviewed this, arguing it should not be a wide. The third umpire takes a look at it and says the original call was the right call!
19.1
2
Perry to Sajana, 2 runs, fullish just outside off. Sajana plants her front foot and tugs it towards long on for a couple of runs. Good work on the fence by Graham

28 needed off the final over. MI, quite simply, need a miracle here. Perry to bowl

END OF OVER:
19 | 16 Runs 1 Wkt | MI-W: 172/8 (28 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.05, RRR: 28.00)

  • Shabnim Ismail4 (1b)
  • Sajeevan Sajana9 (7b)
  • Kim Garth4-0-33-2
  • Georgia Wareham4-0-29-1
18.6
4
Garth to Ismail, FOUR, finds a way through! Another cutter, bowled into the track outside off. Ismail gives herself room and muscles it enough to Perry's right at mid off!
18.6
1w
Garth to Ismail, 1 wide, back of a length, sliding down leg. No bat on ball, and the umpire stretches out his arms

Ismail to try her luck now. She takes an off-stump guard

18.5
W
Garth to Gupta, OUT, caught right on the fence! Back of a length on middle and leg. Gupta gives herself room and swings for the hills. Gets a good piece of it but that is not good enough on this occasion. Joshitha settles herself on the fence and snares the chance with minimal fuss. Excellent balance, game awareness and technique, and MI lose their eighth!

S Gupta c Joshitha b Garth 10 (5m 4b 2x4 0x6) SR: 250

18.4
4
Garth to Gupta, FOUR, streaky but they all count! Off-pace on a full length outside off. Gupta swings like a rusty gate and the ball swirls off the outside edge over short third!
18.3
2
Garth to Gupta, 2 runs, follows Gupta outside leg with a length ball. She bunts it into the vast open spaces in the deep mid wicket region and hurtles back for two

Around the wicket

18.2
1
Garth to Sajana, 1 run, slower ball on a length outside off. Sajana shuffles across, gets down very low and scoops it on the bounce to short fine leg. Good work by Meghana to get something behind it
18.1
4
Garth to Sajana, FOUR, leg-cutter on a back of a length outside off. Sajana waits on it and then cuts it through the point region. She hit it into the turf and across the practice pitches, it gathered pace!

44 off 12. MI's race almost run for the night

END OF OVER:
18 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | MI-W: 156/7 (44 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.66, RRR: 22.00)

  • Sanskriti Gupta4 (1b)
  • Sajeevan Sajana4 (5b)
  • Georgia Wareham4-0-29-1
  • Heather Graham4-0-47-1
17.6
4
Wareham to Gupta, FOUR, oh, hello! Wareham misses the yorker by an inch and she gets pummeled. Gupta winds up, swings through the line and bludgeons it over the bowler's head!

Gupta on strike

17.5
W
Wareham to Kamalini, OUT, straight to Perry, and Wareham finally has something to show for her bowling toil! Kamalini advances and converts this into a juicy full toss. There to be smashed into the stands but she cannot generate the elevation she wants. Arrows it flat and straight to long on, and that will be that for the youngster tonight!

G Kamalini c Perry b Wareham 6 (5m 4b 1x4 0x6) SR: 150

17.4
1
Wareham to Sajana, 1 run, fired in just outside off. Sajana advances but inadvertently yorks herself. Chalks it down to long on
17.3
1
Wareham to Kamalini, 1 run, very full outside off. Kamalini cannot get under it and clinks it towards long on
17.2
1
Wareham to Sajana, 1 run, fizzed in on a length on middle and leg. Sajana brings out the reverse and helps it towards short third
17.1
1
Wareham to Kamalini, 1 run, floated into the blockhole outside off. Kamalini digs it out towards backward point, who fields it smartly and gets her throw away just as swiftly

Wareham back on. 52 needed off 18

END OF OVER:
17 | 14 Runs 1 Wkt | MI-W: 148/6 (52 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.70, RRR: 17.33)

  • Sajeevan Sajana2 (3b)
  • G Kamalini4 (1b)
  • Heather Graham4-0-47-1
  • Sneh Rana4-0-26-3
16.6
2
Graham to Sajana, 2 runs, into the blockhole on middle and leg. Sajana jams down on it and squeezes it towards short fine leg, where Meghana dives to her left and saves two
16.6
2w
Graham to Kamalini, 2 wides, slides this down leg. Kamalini misses it and Ghosh cannot collect cleanly either. MI get two extras

Around the wicket now

16.5
4
Graham to Kamalini, FOUR, nicked and four! Fortune favouring the youngster early-doors! Full just outside off. Kamalini looks to drive on the up and gets a healthy outside edge that beats the keeper and hits the fence!

Kamalini in at 8

16.4
W
Graham to AB Kaur, OUT, off stump out of the ground, and Heather Graham has her first-ever wicket in the WPL! And it is against her former team! Wonderfully-disguised slower ball, pitching on a length on middle and off. Amanjot, rather ambitiously, looks to access the 'V' behind the stumps and makes an absolute mess of the crease. Deceived by the lack of pace and she sees her off stump flattened soon after. That might truly be that for this run-chase!

AB Kaur b Graham 17 (29m 15b 1x4 0x6) SR: 113.33

MI Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st27HK MatthewsAC Kerr
2nd11Nat Sciver-BruntAC Kerr
3rd40H KaurNat Sciver-Brunt
4th51Nat Sciver-BruntAB Kaur
5th5YH BhatiaAB Kaur
6th6S SajanaAB Kaur
7th12S SajanaG Kamalini
8th15S SajanaS Gupta
9th21S IsmailS Sajana
10th0S IsmailPS Sisodia