Abiding by your captain’s orders shows obedience, but if it’s driven by a lack of trust, it could spell trouble. Such was the case in the second innings of the match between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians when Saika Ishaque deliberately dropped a sitter on Harmanpreet Kaur’s advice in a free hit.
Eyeing to start the season with a win, Meg Lanning tried to capitalise on the dew factor by fielding first. Shikha Pandey backed it up with a couple of wickets before Natalie Sciver-Brunt’s unbridled 80 allowed the Mumbai side to get to 164 runs in the first innings. In response, a 60-run blistering opening partnership was the center of attraction as Shafali Verma looked to adopt the gung-ho style. However, an unprecedented event revolving around a dropped catch on a free hit caught the attention during the fifth over.
After a no-ball on the third ball of her third over, Shabnim Ismail bowled a fuller than a good length delivery outside the stumps against Shafali. The right-hander tried to slog it across the line but incurred a top-edge down the throat of short cover where Ishaque tried to grab the ball firmly. As she was on the verge of taking the catch, Harmanpreet behind her ordered to let go of the ball and drop the catch. Perhaps, the idea was to avoid unnecessary dropped catches as Ishaque was not one of the best fielders of the side. No doubt, the Twitterverse found it a point to discuss.
— jithesh (@jithesh1569353) February 15, 2025
Delhi Capitals 111/5 in 15 overs vs Mumbai Indians in #WPL2025. Shafali Verma 43, Capsey 16, Lanning 15, Sutherland 13, Rodrigues 2. Prasad, Bryce at crease. Amelia Kerr 2 wkts, Matthews, Sciver-Brunt, Ismail 1. MI scored 164 (Sciver-Brunt 80, Harmanpreet 42). #Cricket #WomensIPL
— India Affairs (@IndiaAffai87261) February 15, 2025
Incredible
Most 50+ runs partnership in WPL
Meg Lanning & Shafali Verma – 8
Hayley Matthews & Yastika Bhatia – 5
Harmanpreet Kaur & Amelia Kerr – 5
Harmanpreet Kaur & Nat Sciver-Brunt – 4— क्रिकेट पर चर्चा (@CricketpCharcha) February 15, 2025
Too good
Most 50+ Partnerships in WPL:
Lanning & Shafali – 9*
Yastika & Matthews – 5
Harmanpreet & Amelia – 5
Harmanpreet & Sciver-Brunt – 4
Devine & Mandhana – 3#MIvsDC #WPL2025— Sahil Pednekar 🇮🇳 (@statsbysahil) February 15, 2025
Harmanpreet Kaur having a great day as captain
Be it giving Shabnim Ismail 4 overs on the trot or getting Amelia Kerr & Nat Sciver-Brunt on at the right time
This is where a quality coaching staff & analyst makes a difference too#WPL2025 #WPL #MIvDC— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) February 15, 2025
Mumbai is back
Then Shafali, Now Meg Lanning has gone.
Mumbai are back in the match.
Harmanpreet’s ploy to bowl Shabnim Ismail for her 4th straight over works
MI (60/2 in 6.1 overs) chasing 165 vs DC#MIvsDC #WPL2025 #TATAWPL— TATA WPL (@TataWPL) February 15, 2025
Excellent
Most 50+ run partnership in WPL:
8* – Meg Lanning & Shafali Verma
5 – Yastika Bhatia & Hayley Matthews
5 – Amelia Kerr & Harmanpreet Kaur
4* – Harmanpreet Kaur & N Sciver-Brunt pic.twitter.com/9NalsWueGg— All Cricket Records (@Cric_records45) February 15, 2025
Harmanpreet Kaur Last Five scores in T20s
29*(24)
52*(27)
54*(47)
13*(11)
42(22) Today#WPL2025 #Jio— F.C Nitish (@fcnitish970) February 15, 2025
Yup
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brooding Harmanpreet is so hot #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/seHf1zlA3a
— toya 🧸 (@pinksrevival) February 15, 2025
