Navi Mumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) Sajeevan Sajana enhanced her batting reputation as she struck a 25-ball 45 to take defending champions Mumbai Indians to 154 for 6 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) here on Friday.
The 31-year-old Sajana smashed seven fours and one six to raise 82 runs for the fifth wicket along with Nicola Carey (40) to revive the MI innings.
This came after MI were reduced to 67 for 4 in the 11th over after being asked to bat first, with RCB chipping away at the wickets at regular intervals.
Gunalan Kamalini made 32 (off 28 balls) at the top of the order, while MI and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 20.
For RCB, Nadine de Klerk was the pick of the bowlers with excellent figures of 4 for 26 while Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil got a wicket apiece. The WPL 2026 began with a maiden over from Lauren Bell with MI opener Amelia Kerr failing to score a single run from the first over.
But Kamalini compensated for the runless first over as she took 10 runs from Linsey Smith in the second over, hitting two fours.
Kerr continued to struggle, opening her account in the 11th ball she faced. Her laboured innings ended in the fifth over with Bell deservingly getting her wicket.
MI’s next batter Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) did not last long, as she was dismissed by Nadine de Klerk as the defending champions were reduced to 35 for 2 in the seventh over.
Kamalini got out in the final ball of the 10th over as she dragged a Shreyanka Patil delivery on to the stumps as MI were reduced to 63 for 3 at the halfway stage.
Next over, de Klerk got her second wicket, that also the prized scalp of Harmanpreet (20 off 17 balls), who went for a cover drive but only got a nick that was gobbled up by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh. Mumbai were in trouble at 67 for 4 at that stage. PTI PDS AM PDS AM AM
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