WPL: Charlotte Edwards Hails Harmanpreet Kaur’s Captaincy After Mumbai Indians' Title Victory

Mumbai Indians Women’s Team head coach Charlotte Edwards has showered praise on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for her remarkable contribution to their victory in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) final on Saturday at the Brabourne Stadium. MI triumphed over Delhi Capitals by a narrow margin of eight runs in a nail-biting summit clash, with Kaur playing a pivotal role with both bat and leadership.

Harmanpreet Kaur's half-century at a crucial juncture helped Mumbai Indians steer to victory, replicating their success from the 2023 WPL final. Edwards highlighted Kaur’s calm demeanor and competitive spirit, which were key factors in MI's triumph.

"She's been really calm and deeply competitive. She wanted to win another title, so she did everything in her power to achieve that. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with her. She's great around the group and one of the best among the young players. We work as a team and play as a team, and tonight was a real team performance," said Edwards.

Edwards also emphasized Kaur’s impeccable batting approach, which was instrumental in MI’s win. The coach noted that the team's aggressive batting strategy, coupled with Kaur's expertise, kept the pressure on the opposition bowlers.

“There are no specific conversations over there. We talk about being aggressive and putting pressure on the bowlers. When Harmanpreet is out there, she is the best in the world, as we saw tonight. She’s trained really well, and the great thing about our batting lineup is that we don’t rely on just one player. Hayley has been exceptional, and Nat Sciver-Brunt has been absolutely amazing. Having that kind of experience really frees Harmanpreet up, and it shows in the way she has played this week,” Edwards stated.

The MI coach also credited the team’s success to the presence of three world-class all-rounders who played a crucial role in the title win. "We went with five overseas all-rounders, and we got three of them who are the absolute best. One of them won the Orange Cap, and two have been neck and neck with the Purple Cap. They have been fundamental to our success in the last three seasons. They bring out the best in our Indian domestic players as well," Edwards added.

Edwards also praised the efforts of Marizanne Kapp, whose wicket was vital to MI’s victory. “I felt Marizanne played brilliantly. She has won many finals herself, including two against me in The Hundred, so I was a bit wary. But when Nat Sciver-Brunt has the ball in her hand, anything can happen. It was a crucial wicket – caught at deep mid-off. Every team in this competition bats deep, and we knew we were in for a tough couple of overs. Thankfully, we managed to see it through,” Edwards concluded.

With a strong combination of leadership, experience, and teamwork, Mumbai Indians have once again proven their dominance in the Women's Premier League under the guidance of Charlotte Edwards and the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur.