"We lost by two balls in the end...": DC coach Batty on third successive WPL final loss

Following Delhi Capitals' heartbreaking loss in the Women's Premier League (WPL) final against Mumbai Indians, franchise's head coach Jonathan Batty said that his side lost the game on the final two balls of the match and hailed skipper Meg Lanning for her leadership and individual performances. It was a hat-trick of heartbreaks for Delhi as they suffered an eight-run loss against the Mumbai Indians in the Final of the WPL 2025 at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, and N Charani each bagged two wickets to restrict the Mumbai Indians to 149/7 in 20 overs. Delhi Capitals, playing in their third consecutive WPL final, were then limited to 141/9 in 20 overs by the home side.

Reflecting on the loss, Head Coach Jonathan Batty said as quoted by a Delhi Capitals press release, "We have had three great seasons finishing at the top of the table. We have played some exceptional cricket, but everyone is hurt right now. 99 per cent of the time, you back yourself to chase 150 on that wicket, but full credit to Mumbai for the way they bowled and executed their plans."

Batty continued, "It was such a tight game to lose by just eight runs, which is effectively two boundaries. We lost by two balls in the end. It could have gone either way. There is always a winner and a loser, and unfortunately, we ended up on the losing side for the third time."

Mumbai Indians made a shaky start, losing a couple of quick wickets. However, a partnership of 89 runs between captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt steadied their innings. While Kaur struck 66 off 44, Nat Sciver-Brunt made a contribution of 30 off 28 for their side.

Praising the opponents, Batty said, "Nat Sciver-Brunt had an outstanding tournament, scoring over 500 runs, and Harmanpreet was fantastic. Her innings made the difference between the two teams today." Nat-Sciver delivered an all-time great campaign, securing the 'Player of the Tournament' title with 523 runs in 10 innings with the bat at an average of 65.37 and a strike rate of over 152 and five fifties. Her best score was 80*. She also ended up as the top-run-getter, receiving the Orange Cap for most runs.

The Englishman also had words of praise for Delhi Capitals' captain, Lanning. "She has been brilliant. Meg has thrived in the captaincy role, leading this wonderful group of players so well for three years. She's played exceptionally at times throughout the tournament," he concluded. (ANI)