Mumbai: Mumbai Indians marked their return to the Women’s Premier League with a notable performance from Harmanpreet Kaur, both as a batter and captain.

In their first home match since clinching the title in the inaugural season, MI triumphed over Gujarat Giants by nine runs at the Brabourne Stadium. Harmanpreet's impressive 54 runs off 33 balls, along with her strategic field adjustments, played a crucial role in the victory, propelling MI towards a strong position to secure the top spot in the league and a direct entry into the final.

Harmanpreet's second half-century of the season was instrumental in MI achieving a commendable total of 179/6. Gujarat Giants found themselves in a precarious situation at 70/5 midway through their chase, but a remarkable innings from Bharti Fulmali, who scored 61 runs off 25 balls, reignited their hopes, narrowing the target to 23 runs off the final 12 deliveries. However, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews ensured that the final moments favored the home team.

Matthews, who had earlier set the pace with the bat, also played a vital role in the bowling department during the last over. The innings began with a solid 12 runs in the opening over, despite Amelia Kerr being run out due to an exceptional direct hit from Ashleigh Gardner. MI's aggressive start in the powerplay, totaling 44 runs, faced a setback when young leg-spinner Priya Mishra dismissed Matthews with a well-executed googly.

Although GG's spinners managed to rein in the scoring, Harmanpreet quickly shifted gears after opening her boundary account with a reverse sweep. She formed a robust 59-run partnership with the reliable Sciver-Brunt (38 runs off 31 balls), showcasing her ability to dominate the bowling attack.

Following Sciver-Brunt's dismissal in the 14th over, Amanjot Kaur (27 runs off 14 balls) entered the fray and effectively took on the role of an enforcer, striking consecutive fours off Kashvee Gautam and adding a six in a 15-run 17th over.

Harmanpreet reached her fifty in just 31 balls before being dismissed in the final over. The last three overs yielded 40 runs, propelling MI to a formidable total.

In response, GG urgently required contributions from their openers and promoted Kashvee in hopes of achieving that. Beth Mooney, who had been in good form during GG's previous

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