Tue Jan 13 14:20:00 UTC 2026: ### Mumbai Indians Choose to Bowl Against Gujarat Giants in WPL Match
The Story:
In a Women’s Premier League (WPL) match held in Navi Mumbai, the Mumbai Indians (MI), captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, won the toss and elected to bowl first against the Gujarat Giants. Kaur stated that chasing is a preferable strategy, particularly in night games. MI’s lineup saw the return of Hayley Matthews, recovering from a shoulder injury, replacing Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was reportedly unwell. For the Giants, Anushka Sharma, who impressed in her debut, was sidelined due to a hand injury, with Ayushi Soni taking her place.
Key Points:
- Mumbai Indians won the toss and chose to bowl.
- Harmanpreet Kaur cited the advantage of chasing in night games.
- Hayley Matthews returned to MI’s XI, replacing Nat Sciver-Brunt.
- Anushka Sharma missed the game for Gujarat Giants due to a hand injury; Ayushi Soni replaced her.
- MI has a 7-0 record against Gujarat Giants in WPL matches.
Key Takeaways:
- Team strategies in the WPL are heavily influenced by toss outcomes and perceived advantages of chasing targets, especially in night games.
- Player injuries and illnesses play a significant role in shaping team compositions and match outcomes.
- Historical head-to-head records can create psychological advantages, but they don’t guarantee future success.
- The toss winning team wanted to take advantage of the field conditions that favoured batting in the evening.
First Piper 