That will be all for the blog. A potential knockout awaits on Wednesday as UPW take on win-less RCB.

Scenarios: We got our first playoff qualifiers today. We might see the first team eliminated on Thursday. If RCB go 0-6 with a defeat against UPW, it’s officially over for them. But for now, RCB stay very much alive. A win tomorrow will keep them interested for a while longer.

Harmanpreet Kaur: All the awards post match to one player.

Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Giants by 55 runs: Harmanpreet Kaur’s 51 off 30 balls on that pitch is the absolute game-changer.

GG 107/9 after 20 overs: Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Giants by 55 runs! And Mumbai Indians are the first team to confirm their place in the top three and a spot in the post-league phase in inaugural WPL.

Saika hasn’t had a wicket tonight. How she’d love one here.

GG 105/9 after 19 overs: Matthews puts in a massive dive when she had no need to. This MI team is something else. By the way, the win now will confirm their place in the top 3.

GG 96/9 after 17.3 overs: WICKET! The procession continues. Matthews has another. Kanwer c Bhatia b Matthews 0(4 balls)

GG 95/8 after 16.3 overs: WICKET! The NSB-Kaur at it again, this time on the field. Stops a bit on Garth and this is dying on Harman but she puts a nice dive forward. The best compliment for that catch is how easy she made that look. Garth c Kaur b Sciver-Brunt 8 (8 balls)

NSB to finish her spell.

GG 93/7 after 16 overs: A rare mistake on the field by MI (just started to creep in) Kalita misfields at deep cover fence for a four for Garth. Time for a timeout.

Garth can bat but the match is all but over. 77 needed off 30.

GG 85/7 after 14.5 overs: WICKET! Another LBW today. Rana reviews, no help. MI have consistently attacked the stumps and reaped rewards. Rana (c) lbw b Sciver-Brunt 20 (19 balls)

GG 75/6 after 14 overs: Six singles in that Matthews over.

GG 69/6 after 13 overs: Nice sweep by Sushma in that Ishaque over for four but too little too late. (GG do have to make sure they don’t suffer another big defeat).

GG 62/6 after 12 overs: Sushma Verma joins Snen Rana. Handy batters. But this is MI’s game.

GG 57/6 after 11.3 overs: WICKET! Kerr, no erring tonight. Nicely tossed up. Hema is a good player of spin but she goes for power over placement and it goes straight to long off. Hemalatha c Wong b Kerr 6 (6 balls)

GG 55/5 after 11 overs: That’s the first we are seeing of Amanjot Kaur with the ball in hand. She’s got such a lovely action if you are watching her for the first time. An effortless ease about it. Unlucky to concede a four due to a misfield.

GG 49/5 after 10 overs: Rana is the new batter in. Terrific stuff from MI.

GG 48/5 after 9.1 overs: WICKET! The catching and fielding has been superb from both sides tonight. Gardner mishits this, but seemed like it might evade the fielder but Kailta takes a superb catch. Gardner c Kalita b Kerr 8 (10 balls)

GG 48/4 after 9 overs: GG needed Harleen on this pitch to stand a chance. She is a good batter when set. But Wong gets the breakthrough! Shortish ball, the pull is missed. Review lost too. Deol lbw b Wong 22 (23 balls)

GG 46/3 after 8 overs: A four for Gardner in that over but MI still in control.

GG 37/3 after 7 overs: Good over by Kerr. Gardner is the new batter in.

GG 34/3 after 6 overs: WICKET! What an over. That skidded through! Sutherland nearly walked. Plumb in front. Sutherland lbw b Matthews 0 (4 balls)

Sutherland in. Perhaps a pinch hitter. She is a good hitter too, mind you.

GG 34/2 after 5.2 overs: WICKET! Meghana’s struggles continue. After hitting a four over midwicket, she finds the fielder at long on. Meghana c Kerr b Matthews 16 (17 balls)

Matthews to finish the powerplay.

GG 29/1 after 5 overs: After a strange review for run out, Deol hits two delightful shots for over through the midwicket region for two fours.

GG 19/1 after 4 overs: Harleen with a delightful drive through the vacant cover region for four. Think MI want her to play that shot but she nailed it there. Good over otherwise by Ishaque.

GG 13/1 after 3 overs: Was a good over from NSB until Meghana lofts one down the ground for four.

GG 6/1 after 2 overs: So Ishaque thinks she has a wicket first ball too but the ball is clearly sliding down the leg side and the decision is overturned. Deol with a good review. Meghana hits a four through cover in that over.

GG 1/1 after 1 overs: At this stage, both teams are exactly placed.

GG 0/1 after 0.1 overs: WICKET! What a start for MI. What a ball. NSB gets one to jab back in from a good length. Dunkley reviews it, the seam did just enough to clip the stumps. Dunkley lbw b Nat Sciver-Brunt 0 (1b

Kerr was confident MI’s bowling can defend this. There was a smile on their face as they got into a huddle. This is by no means an easy chase for GG.

MI 162/8 after 20 overs: The wicket is slowing down clearly but thar Harmanpreet Kaur innings took that out of the equation. She is batting like a dream at the moment. It sets up a nice second innings, should be a good one. Harleen Deol was superb on the field, Sneh Rana was terrific for 4-0-17-1.

MI 162/8 after 20 overs: That is how all innings in cricket should end. MI ran for a two when a one was normal, and make it too. A good finish to the innings, thanks to Harmanpreet’s brilliance.

MI 160/8 after 19.5 overs: WICKET! Good catch again, Dunkley with a low one. A Kaur c Dunkley b Gardner 0 (1 ball)

MI 160/7 after 19.4 overs: 4-4-OUT! After reaching her half century with two gorgeous shots for four, Kaur is caught at long on by her good friend Deol. Nice catch, a late dive to make it look spectacular but even otherwise a fantastic take. H Kaur c Deol b Gardner 51 (30 balls)

MI 151/6 after 19 overs: SIX-WICKET-SIX! Big over for MI as Harmanpreeet nails a couple of shots down the leg side off Sutherland. Deol with a bullet throw to run Kazi out. The second six, more brilliant BatSwing.

All eyes on Harmanpreet. Can she take MI to 160?

MI 137/5 after 18 overs: We FINALLY get a look at Mumbai Indians’ lower batting order. Humaira Kazi in at No 7. What a sensational over by Rana. 2 runs and a wicket.

MI 136/5 after 17.2 overs: WICKET! No fireworks with the bat for Wongy tonight. First-ball dismissal. Wong c & b Rana 0 (1 ball)

MI 135/4 after 17 overs: WICKET! Terrific catch at point. Stretching backwards, Garth takes a nice one. End of the partnership. Kerr c Garth b Kanwar 19 (13 balls)

Kanwer into the attack. Both Kaur-Kerr are excellent players of spin when set. This could be a big over.

MI 124/3 after 16 overs: Two more fours for Harman, using the pace of Sutherland to great effect. She is again looking in great touch.

MI 112/3 after 15 overs: Good over for MI! Two fours to start Gardner’s over for Kaur, a streaky edge followed by the full force of her bat-swing.

MI 101/2 after 14 overs: Kerr-Kaur keeping things ticking. Terrific fielding by Harleen Deol in that over to prevent a four.

MI 93/2 after 13 overs: Kerr-Kaur again. The former plays a delightful cover drive for four. Kaur tries a couple of reverse sweeps in Rana’s over, misses both, one of them goes for four byes.

MI 84/2 after 12.1 overs: WICKET! Where are you going Yastika? She sets off after an inside edge and there is no run there. Bhatia run out Meghana/Verma 44 (37 balls)

MI 84/2 after 12 overs: Bhatia into the 40s. 9 from Kanwer’s over.

MI 75/2 after 11 overs: WICKET! Big over, but a big wicket. Good review by Garth, convinces Rana to go for it. The ball is full and the sweep is missed by NSB. The English batter had hit a six and four earlier in the over. Sciver-Brunt lbw b Garth 36 (31 balls)

MI 64/1 after 10 overs: SIX! Seemed like Bhatia didn’t quite get a hold off that slower ball from Sutherland but the timing is good enough to carry it over long on. Boundary after a while.

MI 54/1 after 9 overs: Just getting to a point where something’s gotta give. Tidy over by Kanwer.

MI 49/1 after 8 overs: Good review. NSB is given out LBW but the ball is missing leg stump as it was turning too much. She knew it right away. Goodover by Rana though. Just three singles

Sneh Rana continues after the timeout.

Timeout

MI 46/1 after 7 overs: Delightful off drive for four by Yastika Bhatia but otherwise a tidy over by Garth.

MI 40/1 after 6 overs: Oh close stumping shave for NSB at the end of the powerplay but the bat is back in time. Yastika, meanwhile, has gotten used to the pitch it would seem. Two lovely fours in that Kanwer over. Good recovery from a 1/1 for MI.

MI 31/1 after 5 overs: NSB with a crunching sweep and Bhatia access the leg side fence by using her feet as MI score 2 more fours in that over.

Gardner returns for a second over.

MI 20/1 after 4 overs: Either side of getting beaten by a delicious outswinger, Sciver-Brunt hits two fours. The first a delicious drive past cover, the second a superb punch past midwicket.

Garth to continue. Definitely not an easy-scoring pitch.

MI 11/1 after 3 overs: GG have come out with some clear plans, must give it to them. Not letting Yastika access the boundary through cover by placing the fielder there and she is having to manufacture chances. NSB just about clears short-fine for a four.

Sneh Rana in earlier than we have seen in the tournament before.

MI 4/1 after 2 overs: There is definitely some help on the pitch for pacers early on. Garth finishes the over with a couple of lovely deliveries to NSB.

MI 1/1 after 1 over: Hayley Matthews with her first single-digit score of the tournament. NSB in early. Kim Garth to bowl the second over.

MI 1/1 after 0.4 overs: WICKET! GARDNER STRIKES! Harmless enough delivery but Matthews couldn’t get the elevation with the short that she has scored plenty of runs already. Finds the fielder at point. Matthews c Dunkley b Gardner 0 (3 balls)

Gujarat Giants believe CCI is better suited to their team combination. And they will play all four of their remaining matches at this venue starting from today. MI look to go five unbeaten.

Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia in the middle for MI. Ash Gardner to get things going for GG.

A little bit more on Gujarat Giants selection: They might go on to win today too, who knows. But for a team that said during auction that they have great trust in domestic talent and hence focussed on getting overseas picks first, GG have done justice to neither aspect so far. The Dottin controversy first, then the chopping and changing with the opening slot, and if they really want pace options, not trusting the domestic uncapped talent to have a go... the likes of Shabnim, Gala are yet to get a look in.

Mumbai Indians XI: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Dhara Gujjar, Amelia Kerr, Issy Wong, Amanjot Kaur, Humairaa Kaazi, Jintimani Kalita, Saika Ishaque

Gujarat Giants XI: S Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Annabel Sutherland, Sushma Verma (wk), Kim Garth, Tanuja Kanwer, Sneh Rana(c), Mansi Joshi

Gujarat Giants continue to make interesting selections: Laura Wolvaardt and Georgia Wareham are out, Sophia Dunkley and Annabel Sutherland come in. Sneh Rana says it is become they are expecting help for pacers. But this venue has had some turn in recent times. And the decision to bring in Wolvaardt last match seems even more strange now. Surely they need her in the middle order?

TOSS: “Every time I am going to lose. They should tell me before the toss what they want to do”, Harmanpreet Kaur said last match. And she loses another toss! Five toss defeats out of five. Sneh Rana opts

Attention RCB fans: Hope you are all cheering for MI tonight.

Speaking ahead of the match to the media on Monday, Giants’ head coach Rachael Haynes said the team is coming together better after the disappointing opening match.

“The first match was really a big occasion for our group and perhaps for a lot of young players. They might have been overwhelmed in the beginning but they have learned from that experience and accumulation from all that will help make them better players,” she said.

“We have switched our focus quite well after our first game. Unfortunately we came up against Grace Harris in that form but bounced back well against RCB. We have seen throughout the tournament that every team will go through ups and lows, which is the nature of T20 cricket.”

06.50 pm Hello and welcome to the live coverage of Women’s Premier League. It’s match No 12 and it is the return fixture of the tournament opener. Mumbai Indians take on Gujarat Giants.

It was understandable that a team without too many Indian internationals, Giants had somewhat of a stage fright on the grand opening day of WPL. It didn’t help that they ran into Harmanpreet Kaur in some sensational zone. Today, they will hope for better fortunes. But mind you, MI have only gone from strength to strength. They are yet to face defeat and will be looking to add another W to their tally. This match is at CCI.

WPL 2023, Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians blog: Kaur, Ishaque shine as MI register massive win

Photos / screenshots in the blog courtesy: Sportzpics / wplt20.com and JioCinema