In a historic display of chasing prowess, the Mumbai Indians (MI) etched their name into the record books on Tuesday night at the DY Patil Stadium, pulling off a high-octane 7-wicket victory over the Gujarat Giants (GG). In what has become the league’s most one-sided rivalry, Mumbai tracked down a massive 193-run target to extend their flawless head-to-head record to 8-0.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Nicola Carey added 84 runs for the fourth-wicket stand to carry the side over the line and also register their highest chase in WPL history. This feat now stands as the overall second-highest successful run chase in the tournament’s history, highlighting the sheer batting depth of the defending champions. The result not only halts Gujarat’s unbeaten start to the season but also serves as a stern reminder of Mumbai’s clutch ability when the stakes are highest.
Aggressive Gujarat Giants batting sets massive target after mid-inning collapse
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Mumbai’s attack initially struggled to contain the Giants’ explosive start. Beth Mooney (33 off 26) and Kanika Ahuja (35 off 18) took a liking to the returning Hayley Matthews, who looked rusty in her opening spell. However, MI fought back through the middle overs as Amelia Kerr (1/32) applied the brakes, removing the dangerous Mooney just as she looked set for a big score.
The real destruction occurred in the final four overs. Following the historic tactical ‘retired out’ of debutant Ayushi Soni, Bharti Fulmali looked like a woman possessed, dismantling the MI death bowling with surgical precision. Fulmali smashed a staggering 36 off just 15 deliveries*, decorated with 3 boundaries and 3 towering sixes. Alongside Georgia Wareham (43 off 33)*, the duo stitched together an unbeaten 56-run partnership in just 24 balls to drag the score to 192/5. Despite the late onslaught, Carey remained the one of most economical for MI, picking up the vital wicket of Ashleigh Gardner.
Also READ: EXPLAINED: Why Ayushi Soni was retired out during MI-W vs GG-W match in the WPL 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur’s masterclass and Nicola Carey’s clinical finish secure historic MI victory
The second half of the contest was a showcase of pure batting intelligence. Despite the early loss of Matthews and Gunalan Kamalini (13), Amanjot Kaur (40 off 26) kept the required rate in check with a flurry of boundaries. The stage was then set for Harmanpreet, who anchored the chase with an unbeaten 71 off 43 deliveries. Kaur reached her half-century in just 33 balls, using her trademark wristy flicks and powerful drives to puncture the gaps with ease.
The partnership with Carey proved to be the decisive blow for the Giants. Carey played the perfect foil, remaining unbeaten on 38 off 23 balls, finding boundaries at critical moments to prevent the run rate from spiraling. The duo’s 84-run unbeaten stand dismantled the Giants’ confidence, with Mumbai reaching the target when Kaur elegantly flicked Sophie Devine through square leg for the winning boundary.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Orange Cap for Mumbai Indians queen Harmanpreet Kaur. Captain leading us from the front. pic.twitter.com/YAOGLPtLNt
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) January 13, 2026
It looks like the story of this year’s #TATAWPL will be about batters from outside the national team making a big impact. It means India’s player base is starting to grow and that is music to my ears.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 13, 2026
Another day, another Harmanpreet Kaur masterclass 👑
— PUMA Cricket (@pumacricket) January 13, 2026
Back to winning ways! 💪
Mumbai Indians win their second match against GG in the TATA WPL 💙
Strong comeback and great team effort!
Well played, Nicola Carey & Amanjot Kaur👏
Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 71*#MumbaiIndians #MIvGG #AaliRe#TATAWPL pic.twitter.com/RLfJW6FIfc
— Aneesh (@Aneesh_98) January 13, 2026
HARMANPREET KAUR – THE BEST BATTER IN WPL HISTORY 🥶💥 pic.twitter.com/5wByUIEFRH
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 13, 2026
Harmanpreet thor the player you are🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/pTeoZOJLWy
— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) January 13, 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur is a beast in batting.
Truly the best in the WPL. 🔥
— Bhawana (@cricbhawana) January 13, 2026
Nicola Carey is having a dream debut in WPL for Mumbai Indians. She delievered almost everytime whenever team needed her.
She has provided crucial wickets in the middle at crucial junctures, add those clutch runs at the end. What a signing she is turning out be. MI has found… pic.twitter.com/FWXAYAeIZ2
— Akshat (@Akshatgoel1408) January 13, 2026
If you see Nicola Carey and Sophie Molineux bat, you would think they both are sisters and learned batting styles under the same coach so identical ffs.
— Sai (@akakrcb6) January 13, 2026
Captain, Leader & Match Winner- Harmanpreet Kaur 👑#HarmanpreetKaur #WPL2026 pic.twitter.com/40R4ALfN5D
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 13, 2026
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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