Mumbai Indians returned to winning ways with a commanding 6-wicket win over UP Warriorz in Match 16 of the TATA WPL. Amelia Kerr’s stunning five-wicket haul (5/38) set the tone, before Hayley Matthews (68 off 46) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (37 off 23) ensured a clinical chase, propelling MI to second place on the points table.

Kerr’s brilliance dismantled the UPW batting lineup, triggering a collapse after a promising start, restricting them to 150/9. UPW lost wickets at regular intervals, with MI’s fielders capitalizing on every opportunity. This marked UPW’s second consecutive home defeat.

The current Purple Cap holder, Kerr, became the first bowler to claim a fifer this season, registering the best-ever bowling figures for an MI player in WPL history.

In batting, Hayley Matthews’ stylish half-century helped her win the Player of the Match award.

Chasing 151, Mumbai Indians got off to a fluent start, thanks to a blistering 92-run stand between Hayley Matthews (68 off 46) and current orange cap holder Nat Sciver-Brunt (37 off 23). Promoted to open, Amelia Kerr departed early to Chinelle Henry, but that didn’t deter MI’s momentum.

Matthews was at her Caribbean best, blending power with elegance as she pierced the gaps with precision. Sciver-Brunt complemented her perfectly, showcasing her signature finesse. The duo ran hard between the wickets while also punishing loose deliveries, with Matthews greeting Gouher Sultana with three consecutive boundaries. Their risk-free approach saw them raise a brisk 50-run stand, putting MI in cruise control.

Matthews, exuding confidence, notched up her second fifty of the season, timing the ball sweetly while capitalizing on UPW’s fielding lapses. Sciver-Brunt, equally dominant, used her footwork to keep MI ahead in the chase. However, their flourishing stand was broken at 92 when Deepti Sharma pulled off a stunning diving catch to remove Sciver-Brunt, leaving MI 35 away from victory with seven overs in hand.

Matthews continued her onslaught before falling to Kranti Goud, but the job was nearly done. UPW sparked late drama by dismissing skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, but Yastika Bhatia and Amanjot Kaur held their nerve, guiding MI home with an over to spare.

Put into bat, UP Warriorz got off to a flying start, courtesy of a solid opening stand between Grace Harris (28 off 25) and Georgia Voll (55 off 33). The duo complemented each other well, bringing up a 50-run stand by the end of the powerplay. Harris took the attack to Amelia Kerr with a hat-trick of boundaries, keeping UPW’s momentum intact.

However, Hayley Matthews broke the 74-run stand—the highest for UPW this season—dismissing Harris with a sharp bouncer. Voll, playing just her second WPL match, reached a maiden fifty with exquisite stroke play before Nat Sciver-Brunt sent her packing.

At 96/3 after 10 overs, UPW looked to rebuild through skipper Deepti Sharma and Vrinda Dinesh, but MI’s spin duo turned the tide. Kerr (5/38) and Matthews (2/25) squeezed the scoring rate, piling pressure on the middle order. The wickets tumbled—Vrinda fell to Kerr, while Henry’s first-ball six was followed by her dismissal the very next delivery. Matthews then removed Sehrawat as UPW struggled to accelerate.

Kerr capped off her dream spell with a last-ball wicket, becoming the first player to claim a fifer this season and also MI’s first player to claim a fifer in WPL history and donning the Purple Cap. UPW limped to 150/9, a total that seemed underwhelming after their rollicking start.

The full scorecard and match details can be found here.