WPL 2024: Ismail, Kerr help Mumbai Indians limit Gujarat Giants to 126/9

NEW DELHI: Veteran pacer Shabnim Ismail and leg-spinner Amelia Kerr delivered impressive spells, aiding Mumbai Indians in limiting Gujarat Giants to a below-par total of 126 for nine in the Women's Premier League match in Bengaluru on Sunday.Ismail (3/18), who had previously retired from international cricket, demonstrated her enduring prowess while leading Mumbai's bowling attack during the Power Play phase.She dismissed Veda Krishnamurthy and Harleen Deol, both falling victim to deliveries that swung back into them with significant pace.Pacer Nat-Sciver Brunt further added to the Giants' struggles by removing Phoebe Litchfield in the sixth over, resulting in the Giants ending the Power Play at 43 for three.But their innings nosedived further from there as Giants failed to find a boundary in the next 44 balls, and to add to their woes, they also lost wickets at regular intervals.Skipper and opener Beth Mooney, who survived the initial flurry of wickets, looked to get into some sort of rhythm but her attempt to reverse-lap Ismail ended in the hands of Yastika Bhatia behind the wickets.At 58 for five in 11 overs, the Giants were always facing an uphill climb as Mumbai bowlers tightened their grip.Kerr (4/17) further complicated their troubles, dismissing Ashleigh Gardner and Sneh Rana in the space of two balls in the 14th over as Gujarat struggled for momentum and runs.They added a touch of respectability to the total because of the eighth-wicket alliance between Kathryn Bryce (25 not out) and Tanuj Kanwar (28) worth 48 runs, the biggest in Gujarat innings.(With inputs from PTI)