Mumbai, India – UPW (Uttar Pradesh Warriors) once again found themselves on the losing side, succumbing to a clinical performance by Mumbai Indians in their latest Women’s T20 Challenge 2025 clash. Despite a strong start, the side stumbled in the middle overs, with their middle-order failing to accelerate the scoring. This resulted in a challenging chase for their late hitters, who were left with too much to do.
The Match: A Tale of Two Halves
UPW won the toss and chose to bat, hoping to post a competitive total on a pitch that had shown signs of assistance for both batters and bowlers. Openers Shweta Verma and Priya Sharma got off to a solid start, with Verma in particular showing a range of elegant shots early on. However, once the opening partnership was broken, the middle-order once again struggled to build partnerships.
The Mumbai Indians bowlers, led by the sharp and consistent Poonam Yadav, applied pressure, causing the UPW batters to stutter in the middle overs. Yadav, along with Sophia Dunkley, who kept a tight grip on the middle phase, ensured that the required run rate kept climbing, forcing UPW into defensive strokes.
Middle-Order Struggles: The Turning Point
The key issue for UPW was the failure of their middle-order to rotate the strike effectively and accelerate the scoring. Simran Khan, who has been a consistent performer for the side, looked out of sorts, unable to time the ball and finding the fielders at regular intervals. The pressure mounted on the late-order batters, and by the time Nikita and Ravina Yadav came in, the required run rate had ballooned.
While Nikita did manage a couple of boundaries, the lack of a solid partnership meant they were always behind the curve. With UPW finishing on a modest 141/6, it was clear that their middle-order had failed them again, leaving the late hitters with too little to work with.
Mumbai Indians’ Response: Clinical and Composed
In reply, Mumbai Indians came out with intent. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led the charge, playing a well-crafted innings at the top. Her composure in the middle overs, combined with the aggressive strokeplay of Nat Sciver-Brunt, meant that Mumbai kept the required run rate under control right from the start.
The UPW bowlers did make early breakthroughs, with Rajni Yadav providing some hope for the team with a couple of tight overs, but the target was never out of reach for Mumbai. Kaur’s 52 and Dunkley’s quickfire 35 ensured that Mumbai crossed the line with ease, reaching the target of 142 in the 18th over.
The Key Issue: Middle-Order Failures
Once again, UPW’s inability to accelerate in the middle overs proved to be their undoing. In the previous games, the team’s reliance on their late-order hitting had often been a gamble, and in this match, it didn’t pay off. With Shweta Verma and Priya Sharma falling cheaply, the middle-order needed to step up, but Khan, Pooja and others failed to provide the momentum that was needed.
Their inability to capitalize on a solid start, combined with a slow middle period, put undue pressure on the lower-order batters, who couldn’t handle the task of finishing the innings strongly.
Coach’s Thoughts: Addressing the Weak Link
In the post-match press conference, UPW’s head coach was candid about the team’s weaknesses: “We’ve been having these middle-order issues for a while now, and it’s something we need to address. Our top order is doing well, but when it comes to the middle phase, we are not rotating the strike as well as we should be. We need to find solutions and ensure that we can accelerate during those crucial middle overs.”
He continued, “It’s a learning curve, and while we’re disappointed with the loss, we’ll be going back to the drawing board and working on our game plan.”
Key Performances:
- Shweta Verma (UPW): 33 runs – A solid start, but she failed to capitalize and was dismissed at a crucial juncture.
- Poonam Yadav (Mumbai Indians): 3/27 – A standout performance in the middle overs that kept UPW in check.
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians): 52* – A calm and composed knock, leading from the front.
- Nikita (UPW): 22 runs – Came in too late and couldn’t get the acceleration needed.
- Rajni Yadav (UPW): 2/31 – A good spell with the ball but lacked sufficient support from other bowlers.
Looking Ahead: Can UPW Find the Right Balance?
For UPW, the middle-order failure remains the team’s Achilles’ heel. The lack of acceleration in the middle overs has been a consistent issue, leaving too much for the tail to do. While they have the talent and potential, their inability to shift gears in the middle stages has hindered their chances of posting higher totals or chasing down targets confidently.
With a few key games left in the Women’s T20 Challenge 2025, the pressure will be on UPW to address this frailty. If they can find a way to stabilize their middle order and accelerate the scoring during the middle overs, they could become a much more dangerous team.
For now, however, the focus remains on refining their batting approach and ensuring that they don’t repeat the same mistakes in the games to come.