Nat Sciver-Brunt's blistering unbeaten 72 powered Mumbai Indians to a daunting 182/4 in the Eliminator clash of the Women's Premier League against UP Warriorz in Navi Mumbai on Friday. (More Cricket News)
The winner will face Delhi Capitals in the final on Sunday.
Sciver-Brunt was at her brutal best with the bat, clobbering nine fours and two sixes to make an unbeaten 72 from only 38 balls and certainly made the most of an early lifeline when she was on six, with Sophie Ecclestone (2/39) dropping a regulation catch off Rajeshwari Gayakwad at mid-off.
UP Warriorz controlled the first half of the knockout clash here at the DY Patil Stadium largely through their spin bowlers, not allowing the majority of Mumbai batters to get away or notch up any big individual totals, barring Sciver-Brunt, who led the fight for her side.
The right-handed Sciver-Brunt provided much-needed impetus late in the innings for Mumbai Indians in the company of Amelia Kerr (29 off 19 balls, 5x4s), adding 60 runs for the fourth wicket.
Having added 78 runs from overs 5-15, Mumbai Indians smacked 66 runs in the last five overs to put up a stiff total.
The likes of Yastika Bhatia (21), Hayley Matthews (26) and Harmanpreet Kaur (14) got starts but UP Warriorz kept control for the large part of the game after an erratic start.
UP Warriorz bowled wide at the start and Mumbai Indians batters made most of the opportunities with Bhatia, who hit the first ball of the game for a four, leading the charge.
The left-handed batter looked in prime form, but Anjali Sarvani (3-0-17-1) returned in the fifth over to have her caught at mid-on for 21 off 18 balls with four fours. The Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter added 31 runs for the opening wicket with Matthews.
Matthews hit the first six of the game, sweeping Grace Harris over deep square leg to mark a perfect start for Mumbai.
At the end of the powerplay, Mumbai Indians reached 46/1. Matthews and Sciver-Brunt took Mumbai ahead, with UP Warriorz vice-captain Deepti Sharma nearly breaking their stand in the ninth over.
Sarvani claimed a sharp, low catch at deep square leg, but the third umpire ruled it in favour of Matthews, on 19, with replays suggesting that the ball had touched the ground.
However, UP Warriorz did not take too long to break their second-wicket stand, this time the 16-year-old Parshavi Chopra getting Matthews (26 off 26 balls, 2x4s, 1x6s) caught at long-on off her first delivery in the 10th over.
The young bowler nearly got her second wicket when Harmanpreet (4) missed a sweep shot on a flighted delivery with the ball landing right next to her toe. The Mumbai skipper reviewed immediately after being adjudged out leg-before, and the replays showed Harmanpreet got an inside edge.
Sciver-Brunt then took the attack to the opponent, hitting two fours and a six off Chopra in the 12th over to provide her side with much-needed momentum.
Mumbai, who brought up their 100 in the next over, lost captain Harmanpreet (14 off 15 balls, 1x4s) against the run of play with Ecclestone cleaning up the batter with a full delivery angled in.
