Mumbai Indians Women: Champions of WPL 2023

WPL turned out to be a great success as it immensely grew the popularity of women’s cricket in India. The response from fans in the country was far greater than what was expected. People came in large numbers to support their favorite players. The first edition of this league was in 2023 with five teams participating. These teams were: Mumbai Indians, UP Warriors India, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants. All the teams played against each other twice and it was Mumbai Indians who grabbed their maiden title in the very first edition. Today, in this article by ZAP cricket, we will discuss this champion team only, the winners of the 2023 edition- Mumbai Indians Women. 

The team is owned by Indiawin Sports and is led by Indian skipper- Harmanpreet Kaur. The main reason for the team's success was the balance in their team. They had a perfect blend of overseas and domestic players who delivered whenever needed. The scouts of this team played their role perfectly as they successfully picked the best bunch of domestic players. Moreover, their think tank did a commendable job in selecting the finest overseas players. Following is the full squad of MI team: 

Mumbai Indians Women squad 

Mumbai Indians Women Support staff  

Role of Harmanpreet Kaur in MI

Another reason for their success was sharp tactics by Harmanpreet Kaur. From picking playing XI to regulating overs in the game, every decision of hers was wise. We have seen in international matches as well that Kaur is a smart captain. She is one of those players who quickly judges the pace of the game. That helps her a lot in taking the right decisions on the field. 

Also, the skipper herself was doing well which gave huge confidence to junior players. She led by example and that is what great leaders do. Moreover, she made sure that talent didn’t go to waste in her dugout. Resultantly, her team lifted the trophy. 

Role of overseas players

MIW has few great overseas players in their squad. However, as per the rules, only four overseas players can play in one game. Few among those who made great contributions in the team in 2023 were: Issy Wong, Hayley Matthews, and Amelia Kerr. Matthews was named player of the tournament in the first edition and was even awarded with the purple cap. She played 10 matches then, took 16 wickets and scored 271 runs, hence, an all round show was ensured by the Caribbean legend. 

Then came in Issy Wong, she was used in powerplays and in death overs. Her quick pace made things hard for subcontinent batters. Also, her ability to swing the ball impressed everyone.

Lastly, New Zealander- Amelia Kerr made sure that she did full justice to her talent in franchise cricket, like she does in International matches. She was one of the key players in their squad as her handy leg spin and attacking batting helped MIW a lot. In 10 matches, she scored 149 runs and took 11 wickets. 

MIW in season 1 of WPL

MI made sure that they left no stone unturned to lift the inaugural season of WPL. It was a perfect show with a perfect result for ladies in blue. All the matches were played in Mumbai, that is in, Brabourne Stadium or DY Patil Stadium, and that helped MI in gaining the crowd support. They won 6 off the 8 games and that secured their place in the playoffs. Then, they played the finals against DC, restricting the opponents to 131/9(20). Partnerships between Harmanpreet and Nat Sciver ensured a comfortable win.

MIW in season 2 of WPL

Season 2 didn’t go as expected. The MIW didn’t qualify for the finals as they finished at the third spot. The cup was eventually lifted by Royal Challengers Bangalore’s women’s team. However, the team will analyze their shortcomings and will comeback stronger in the 2025 edition of WPL.