3 concerns for MI ahead of the WPL 2023 playoffs

Mumbai Indians (MI) find themselves stuck in a rough spot after a dream start to the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL). The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side were off to a flier and secured qualification for the playoffs with ease after winning their first five matches. However, cracks have begun to surface in the team and they have now slumped to consecutive losses, risking their chances of a first-place finish after the league stage.

MI lost to UP Warriorz (UPW) by five wickets and then to the Delhi Capitals (DC) by nine wickets, which really highlighted their woes. Batting first in both games, MI were only able to amass 127 and 109 in those defeats and while the pitches have slowed down over use, their bowlers have not been able to back up the batters or put pressure on the opposition batters as well. With their heavy defeat against Meg Lanning and Co. on Monday, March 20, Mumbai have slipped to second spot and will have to secure a win in their last league match against the in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) if they wish to put pressure on DC for the highly prized first spot.

On that note, let’s take a look at the three primary issues facing the Mumbai Indians ahead of the playoffs.

#1 Hayley Matthews and Saika Ishaque’s poor form

One of the major reasons why the franchise was flying high in the formative stages of the tournament was due to Hayley Matthews’ and Saika Ishaque‘s rich vein of form. The Caribbean all-rounder, a bargain buy in the auctions, was influential with both the bat and ball. She was among the best openers in the league and was well in the race for the Orange Cap.

However, she has slid of late, scoring only 52 runs in her last four matches. Ishaque, on the other hand, was addicted to taking wickets and had built quite a nest atop the Purple Cap standings as well. Much like her teammate Hayley Matthews, she has had a set of forgettable outings.

Wicketless across the last three encounters, the left-arm spinner conceded her Purple Cap to Sophie Ecclestone. Additionally, she endured the worst outing of the season in the previous encounter. She conceded 36 runs off her two overs to prolong the dry run.

MI will be hoping that the duo spring back into form ahead of the playoffs to improve their chances of winning the title.

#2 Wickets falling in clumps

Another concern for the team is their batting, particularly their lack of partnerships in the middle overs. During their defeat to the UP Warriorz, the team lost five wickets in the overs from 6-16. In their most recent outing against the Delhi Capitals, MI lost four wickets in the powerplay itself.

Even in their win over the Gujarat Giants (GG), they were not their convincing self with the bat, especially towards the end of the innings. In that case, they lost five wickets in the death overs, which is still conceivable considering that the platform was set and the batters had to go for boundaries. Losing wickets in a cluster in the powerplay or the middle overs is never a good sign for the batting unit.

This is something that the franchise will be looking to resolve as they have struggled on tough batting surfaces.

#3 The sheen of invincibility has gone

MI had a certain aura around them after announcing their arrival with a record win over the Gujarat Giants in the inaugural match of the tournament. They steamrolled opponents as the tournament progressed and their biggest strength was the fact that they showed absolutely no weaknesses. More than their defeats, the nature of those has worked against the team and in favor of their opponents.

The tame set of losses has spruced up opponents who will feel that they have more than just a chance against the former league leaders, completely devoid of momentum. They are set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore in their final league stage encounter on Tuesday, March 31 at the DY Patil Stadium. Will the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side finish at the top of the table after the end of the group stage?

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