Matthews in for Sciver-Brunt as Mumbai Indians bowl; Anushka out injured for Giants

MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur said “chasing is always a better option, especially in the night games

Mumbai Indians opt to bowl vs Gujarat Giants

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bowl against Gujarat Giants in Navi Mumbai, saying “chasing is always a better option especially in the night games.”

Hayley Matthews, who missed the first two games for MI with a shoulder injury, returned to the MI XI in place of Nat Sciver-Brunt, who Harmanpreet said was “unwell.” Matthews is expected to open alongside G Kamalini, with Amelia Kerr, who filled in as opener in her absence, set to bat at No. 3.

The Giants have had a strong start to the season, winning both their matches so far. They opened with a win over Warriorz before edging past Delhi Capitals in a thriller, leaving them second on the points table. MI have won one of their two games so far.

For Giants, Anushka Sharma, who made an impact with a fluent 44 on her WPL debut against UP Warriorz on Saturday, missed out with an injury. She was seen wearing strapping on her right hand ahead of the match. Allrounder Ayushi Soni replaced her in the XI.

MI, however, hold a predominant record over Giants, having won all seven encounters between the two sides in the WPL.

During the pitch report, WV Raman said the surface was expected to be good for batting, adding that the shorter borders could make life difficult for the spinners.

Mumbai Indians XI: 1 G Kamalini (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Nicola Carey, 6 Sajeevan Sajana, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Poonam Khemnar, 9 Shabnim Ismail, 10 Sanskriti Gupta, 11 Triveni Vasistha

Gujarat Giants XI: 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Ayushi Soni, 4 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 5 Georgia Wareham, 6 Bharti Fulmali, 7 Kashvee Gautam, 8 Kanika Ahuja, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad, 11 Renuka Singh

Anushka Sharma, the 22-year-old Gujarat Giants batter, has been ruled out of the game against Mumbai Indians after injuring her right arm ahead of their third league game of Women’s Premier League 2026 against Mumbai Indians, which is set to be played on Tuesday at the DY Patil Stadium. She injured her hand while fielding against Delhi Capitals on Sunday, and will be out for ‘a short period’, the franchise confirmed.

“Anushka Sharma will be out of action for a short period as she recovers from a minor injury sustained while fielding during our match against Delhi Capitals on Sunday night. Anushka is under the close supervision of the team’s medical staff and is progressing well. She will be a big miss for the side, but her health and long-term well-being remain our priority. The entire Gujarat Giants family is firmly behind her and looks ahead to welcoming her back soon,” the franchise said in a statement.

Ayushi Soni, the 25-year-old Delhi batsman who has featured in one T20I, has been roped in as her replacement in the side for the game against MI on Tuesday. Anushka has traveled with the team for the game against MI, and was seen with a strapped up right hand.

Anushka,

Anushka marked her WPL debut, with a composed knock of 44 against UP Warriorz on Saturday, which laid the foundation of their 10-run win. In their next encounter against Delhi Capitals, she pulled off a stunning save on the boundary line, which played a part in the team’s thrilling four-run win.

Meanwhile, Hayley Matthews has returned to Mumbai Indians’ side for the game against Giants, after missing the first two games due to a shoulder nibble. Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of the encounter since she is unwell.

Gujarat Giants allrounder Anushka Sharma will be out of action for a “short period” after suffering a minor injury while fielding during the WPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals. GG said in a statement they hope to have her “back soon”.

Anushka missed the match agains t Mumbai Indians on Tuesday and was seen wearing a straps on her right hand ahead of the game.

“Anushka is under the close supervision of the team’s medical staff and is progressing well,” a Giants statement said. “She will be a big miss for the side, but her health and long-term well-being remain our priority.”

Anushka, who made an impression on her WPL debut with 44 off 30 balls from No. 3 against UP Warriorz on Saturday,

Anushka, who made an impression on her WPL debut with 44 off 30 balls from No. 3 against UP Warriorz on Saturday, demonstrated a range of shots during her match-winning 103-run stand with captain Ash Gardner. In the next match against DC, she hit a six and a four in her 10-ball stay, and also stood out in the field with a fantastic leaping effort at the boundary to deny Jemimah Rodrigues a six. She also bowls offspin but is yet to bowl in the tournament.

She has captured Madhya Pradesh (MP) in age-group cricket and led teams in BCCI’s Challenger Trophy, showcasing glimpses of her big-hitting potential during the Madhya Pradesh Women’s League. During the WPL auction, she attracted bids from three teams before GG secured her for INR 45 lakh compared to her base price of INR 10 lakh.

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