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After winning the toss and batting first in the finals of the 2023 and 2024 WPLs – both of which they lost – Capitals skipper Lanning this time opted to bowl at the Brabourne Stadium when the coin came down in her favour.<\/p>\n
It seemed the right ploy when the Capitals squeezed their opponents early on as the skilful Kapp gave them the upper hand with a superb opening spell.<\/p>\n
Kapp claimed the key wicket of the dangerous Hayley Matthews with a clever set-up, bowling three away-swingers before a wobble-seam delivery nipped back.<\/p>\n
Mumbai had to wait until the fifth over for a boundary and their powerplay score of 20-2 was the second lowest of this year’s tournament.<\/p>\n
However, in a repeat of the 2023 final between the sides, Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet diligently rebuilt the innings for MI, laying a platform to go on the attack.<\/p>\n
On that occasion it was Sciver-Brunt who played a leading hand with an unbeaten 60 but this time experienced India skipper Harmapreet was the chief protagonist.<\/p>\n
Harmapreet showed the greater aggression, whipping Sutherland for six through mid-wicket then extravagantly striking three consecutive fours off Jonassen.<\/p>\n
Sciver-Brunt’s knock was sufficient for her to become the first player in WPL history to pass 1,000 runs, sailing clear as the leading run-scorer with 523 in 10 innings at 65.37 to claim the orange cap.<\/p>\n
The total looked doable for the Capitals but they lost regular wickets as MI’s intensity in the field was backed up by some smart bowling.<\/p>\n
Kiwi leg-spinner Kerr snaffled the wickets of Jonassen and Rodrigues to finish as the WPL’s joint top wicket-taker with Matthews on 18 victims, but at a slightly better average to take the purple cap.<\/p>\n
But it was England vice-captain Sciver-Brunt who showed nerves of steel with the ball at the business end of the game as she first removed Kapp, then outfoxed the big-hitting Niki Prasad in the final over.<\/p>\n
The ultra-competitive Kapp was in tears afterwards with Capitals left to rue their third consecutive defeat in a WPL final as MI’s lifted the trophy with franchise owner Nita Ambani.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n