WPL 2023 Eliminator: Issy Wong Feeling ‘Surreal’ After Historic Hat-trick Wrecks UP Warriorz
Issy Wong celebrates the wicket of Kiran Navgire in the WPL 2023 Eliminator. (AFP)
Issy Wong scythed through the UP Warriorz innings to dismiss Kiran Navgire, Simran Sheikh and Sophie Ecclestone on consecutive deliveries
Mumbai Indians pacer Issy Wong, who bagged the first hat-trick of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) to propel her team to ‘eliminate’ UP Warriorz at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on Friday, said the feeling was “surreal”.
“It’s all a bit surreal, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind for the last couple of weeks. Put in a bit of hard yards for the last couple of years in the gym and rewarding to enjoy all of that,” the 20-year-old England pacer said.
Also read – WPL 2023 Eliminator: Issy Wong Hat-trick, Nat Sciver-Brunt Fifty Help Mumbai Indians Clinch Ticket To Finale
“Under lights, it swung. The square allows you to keep the swing going even in the later stages of the innings. We knew if we look after the ball, then we can get it to swing,” she added.
She scythed through the UP Warriorz innings to dismiss Kiran Navgire, Simran Sheikh and Sophie Ecclestone on consecutive deliveries. Wong’s triple strikes could not have been more timely as Navgire (43 off 27 balls) was threatening to stage a fightback after the UP Warriorz had lost a few quick wickets. Wong had dismissed the seasoned UP Warriorz captain Alyssa Healy earlier. Wong’s bowling figures at the end of the match were an incredible 4-0-15-4 and was the main reason for the UP Warriorz folding up for a mere 110 while chasing 183.
“I was just trying to hit the stumps, Soph (Ecclestone) got the better of (me) last time. I did not want to land in her spot,” Wong said on how she had planned her hat-trick.
Wong’s England teammate Ecclestone was happy for her despite being Wong’s hat-trick victim. “She said well bowled, she is a good friend and she is a quality cricketer as well. It’s a bit more exciting as you know each other well,” Wong said.
Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur was also effusive in her praise for Wong. “She is always excited to bowl, she was always there and very happy,” Harmanpreet said.
On the Eliminator victory, Harmanpreet said that Mumbai Indians attack is decent which made them “confident anybody could take wickets”. England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt won the ‘Player of the Match’ for her breathtaking 38-ball 72 and 1/21. “She is someone who can take us through in any game, I am happy she did it today,” Harmanpreet said about Sciver-Brunt.
“We have quite a few young girls who are keen to do well in fielding as well. They have a positive energy, they are ready to do their job and listen to us, whenever we talk to them,” Harmapreet said on the overall effort by her team.
Mumbai Indians had won five matches on the trot and have only lost twice in the tournament so far. The victory over UOP Warriorz sets up a mouth-watering clash with Delhi Capitals for the title on Sunday.
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