Harmanpreet: Today I can feel how one feels after winning a trophy

Cricket

Mumbai Indians rode on three-wicket hauls from Hayley Matthews and Issy Wong, and an unbeaten half-century from Nat-Sciver Brunt to beat Delhi Capitals in a tense final at the Brabourne Stadium, and become first-ever Women’s Premier League champions. Here’s how their players and support staff reacted after the win.

Harmanpreet Kaur: It was a great experience for all of us, we were waiting for this moment for so many years. I think everybody enjoyed in our dressing room.

[On her personal experience] It feels like a dream, I think not only for me but for everyone here, even for the crowd also. So many people were asking us, “When the WPL is going to come?” And today that day is here and I’m so happy and so proud that our team did so well. When you have such a long batting line-up, you just need to go there and express [yourself] and that’s what we have been talking [about] in the dressing room. I’m really happy that everybody took the responsibility and they did whatever we discussed.

Staying positive was the biggest key for us. And think we were a little lucky today, a lot of full tosses, but everything went in our favour. I think that’s what you need whenever you go and play. It’s a special moment for all of us, and I have been waiting for this moment for a long, long time, and today I can feel how one feels after winning [a trophy], and I think I should give credit to all the support staff and everyone. It was a great experience for me. Looking forward to the next year now.

We just talked about how positive we were in the dressing room and we just keep talking about how we needed to go about. The way we discussed whatever the planning we executed really well and that is the reason we are standing here today.

Nat Sciver-Brunt: [On her knock] It was very special. I am glad I was able to stick it out when the pressure was on and to be there at the end was really special.

[On her partnership with Harmanpreet and Kerr] I was finding it quite tough and Harman was sweeping her way to a good total so she took the pressure off me, and Amelia did as well when she came in. I knew if I was there at the end, we would be able to get over the line. The last three or four overs, we came gave away too many boundaries than we would have liked to. That made the game interesting.

[On winning the title] It means everything. At the start of the competition, I didn’t really know what to expect and to come together with a very special group of girls at the Mumbai Indians, it is really special to be standing here.

Hayley Matthews: It is crazy. Obviously coming to this tournament, the first of many. So to be part of history is so exciting. We have been through a lot of ups and downs throughout the tournament, so just happy that we finally made it to the end of the road. Just to be able to create history and bring it home in very first year means a lot.

[On her favourite wicket] I reckon wickets are wickets, but I gave Amelia [Kerr] a bit of tease about how I got her in New Zealand, and the fact that I was pretty happy with that – through the gate. But no, happy to get the win at the end of the day. Obviously, the wicket assisted me a little bit today when I was bowling. So glad we got over the line today and I was able to contribute to another team win.

Amelia Kerr: It helps when you’re going out and Nat Sciver is there to hit the winning runs. These moments, I guess that’s what you train for, that’s what you work hard for. You want to step up in those moments, and just keeping it simple and going back to your best shot and best gameplan and kind of ignoring everything else. It’s nice that it came off today. So pleasing to get there with an amazing franchise and a group of amazing people.

[On playing in front of a packed stadium] You just get into the zone and you are so focused on what you need to do. In between the balls you hear the crowd, and while sitting on the sidelines, and you are like ‘wow, this is amazing’. Playing in front of those many people is incredible. But as soon as that ball is bowled, you have to focus and be in the zone.

[On head coach Charlotte Edwards] Charlotte, Lottie, she is an absolute legend. She is one of the best coaches I have ever worked with. She has got a wealth of knowledge and just sitting back and talking cricket with her, you learn so much. She has taken teams to finals and it hasn’t come off. So to do that for her today, the amount of effort she puts in is outstanding. It’s pretty emotional and pleasing to see her, a good person and a brilliant coach, get that reward.

Charlotte Edwards, head coach: I am a little bit over the moon. To win this title the first time around, it is up there as one of my greatest moments in cricket. It’s been an unbelievable group, they’ve stuck together, they have gelled brilliantly, and some strong friendships have built through this tournament, and it has been amazing to be around.

We gave them yesterday off because they were tired. They don’t forget how to play cricket. It was important they rested. We had a team meeting yesterday where we looked at the Delhi team. And then today, we kept it very relaxed. When we are on, we are on. When are off, we had some enjoyable times together. I think you can probably say they played for one another. Harman has been outstanding as a captain, I am so pleased for her tonight. It’s been a wonderful experience.

Jhulan Goswami, mentor and bowling coach: [On wickets off full tosses] Well, you cannot plan all those things, but honestly speaking all credit goes to the bowlers. And thanks to Lottie, the way she handled the entire team as a leader it was an amazing experience for me. This was my first assignment as a coach. So thanks to Lottie, the support staff, and the entire team – the way they always believed and kept that faith. And as well as the girls – they put in everything and believed that we would be able to do our best whatever the opportunity comes.

[On Harmanpreet Kaur finally lifting a title] Many times she has gone through these situations and has not been able to cross that hurdle. But this time, the first day met, we said this time you have to cross that hurdle, and she was so determined, she was so focused. And you could see when she was batting, she was taking that responsibility, and making sure all the girls were in the right space.

We tried to have a lot of communication among ourselves, and at the same time, she was there to take the charge whenever needed. I think the way she handled this team from day one is amazing. And they came here straightaway after a tournament [T20 World Cup]. Not even once during a session she said she was tried. From the first day she said she wanted to be there all the time, take all the responsibility and make sure we finish at the top.

Yastika Bhatia: It’s enormous. I just can’t explain in words, I am so happy right now to be on the winning side. Just very, very happy and proud of the team. We were pretty relaxed yesterday, we just tried to focus on the small, small things we wanted to execute. So we were just concentrating on our plans.

Saika Ishaque: I am so happy I am not even able to explain it. The dream has come true. I didn’t change my plan much. I was like even if I don’t get wickets, I will just focus on bowling dot balls, and that’s what I did. So if plan A and plan B don’t work, plan C was to bowl dots, and [Issy] Wongy’s plan C was to take wickets off full tosses (laughs).

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