WPL 2024: Five Reasons Why Mumbai Indians Lost To RCB In The Eliminator

WPL 2024: In a tense encounter that went down to the wire, the Mumbai Indians faced a disheartening defeat against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator, falling agonizingly short by a mere five runs. Also, their loss to RCB in their last league match added an extra layer of pressure and apprehension to the Eliminator encounter.

In their previous clash, RCB had convincingly outplayed MI, securing a comprehensive victory with a dominant all-round performance. Mumbai Indians would have been acutely aware of this defeat, and it likely lingered in their minds as they prepared to face RCB once again in the high-stakes Eliminator.

Despite their reputation as the defending champions, Mumbai Indians struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match, ultimately succumbing to the relentless pressure exerted by RCB.

Let’s delve deeper into the five critical factors that contributed to the downfall of Mumbai Indians:

Poor Execution in the Run Chase

Mumbai Indians entered the chase with a sense of confidence, given the relatively modest target of 136 runs set by RCB. However, what transpired was a series of missed opportunities and failed partnerships. There was no intent in the run-chase with a proper strategy outlined to chase down the total.

While the openers provided a solid foundation albeit a slow start, the middle order failed to capitalize on the momentum, losing wickets at crucial junctures. The absence of a decisive partnership and the inability to accelerate the run rate in the latter overs proved to be Mumbai Indians’ Achilles’ heel.

#MI 2 down! @EllysePerry strikes for @RCBTweets 👍👍

Watch 🎥 🔽

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/QzNEzVGRhA#TATAWPL | #MIvRCB | #Eliminator pic.twitter.com/8JnMwmu4Td

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 15, 2024

Overdependence on Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur’s reputation as a match-winner precedes her, but Mumbai Indians seemed overly reliant on her prowess with the bat throughout this season. While Kaur showcased glimpses of her brilliance, the burden of carrying the batting order single-handedly seemed to weigh heavily on her shoulders and even though she was given a second life with Richa Ghosh missing a stumping, she did not make the most of it.

The lack of substantial contributions from other batters magnified Mumbai Indians’ vulnerability, as they failed to construct partnerships and share the scoring responsibilities effectively.

ALSO READ: WPL 2024: Harmanpreet Kaur Criticize Mumbai Indians Batters After Their Defeat To RCB In Eliminator

Lack of Responsibility by Overseas Players and Lower Middle Order

Mumbai Indians’ overseas contingent, including the likes of Nat Sciver, Brunt, Amelia Kerr, and Hayley Matthews, failed to make significant impacts with the bat. Despite possessing considerable talent and experience, these players struggled to assert themselves against RCB’s bowling attack, contributing to the Mumbai Indians’ batting collapse.

Furthermore, the lower middle order comprising players like Pooja Vastrakar and Amanjot Kaur failed to rise to the occasion, leaving Mumbai Indians exposed in the latter stages of the innings.

Inability to Tackle RCB Spinners

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s spinners proved to be a formidable challenge for Mumbai Indians’ batting lineup. Players like Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, and Asha Shobana applied consistent pressure, exploiting the turning tracks and varying their lengths effectively and found themselves amongst wickets as well.

Mumbai Indians’ batters struggled to read the spinners’ deliveries, resulting in frequent and consistent dismissals breaking the flow and a lack of scoring opportunities. The failure to devise a coherent strategy against spin bowling further exacerbated Mumbai Indians’ woes.

Huge moment of the match!

A big wicket for @RCBTweets 👏 👏@shreyanka_patil scalps her 2⃣nd wicket 👍 👍#MI lose their captain Harmanpreet Kaur!

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/QzNEzVGRhA #TATAWPL | #MIvRCB | #Eliminator pic.twitter.com/AgESUuoFa5

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 15, 2024

Failure to Dismiss Ellyse Perry Early

Ellyse Perry emerged as the linchpin of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s batting lineup, anchoring their innings with remarkable resilience and composure. Despite the fall of wickets around her, Perry stood tall and marshalled RCB’s lower order, guiding them to a competitive total with her knock of 66 coming off just 50 deliveries.

Mumbai Indians’ failure to remove Perry early in her innings allowed her to settle and build a crucial partnership, ultimately tilting the match in RCB’s favour.

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 #𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗣𝗟 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗖𝗕 👏@RCBTweets secure a 5-run win over #MI in an edge of the seat thriller in Delhi 📍🤝

They will now play @DelhiCapitals on 17th March! ⌛️

Scorecard ▶️https://t.co/QzNEzVGRhA#MIvRCB | #Eliminator pic.twitter.com/0t2hZeGXNj

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 15, 2024

What’s next?

Mumbai Indians’ defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore can be attributed to a combination of factors, including a lack of execution in the run chase, overreliance on key players, ineffective contributions from overseas players and the lower middle order, struggles against spin bowling, and the failure to contain Ellyse Perry in the first innings.

Rectifying these shortcomings will be imperative for Mumbai Indians as they regroup and refocus on the challenges ahead in the next edition of the tournament.

Click Here to get the latest news related to Women’s Cricket. You can also check about Match predictions here. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.