The day has arrived. The stage is set. The fans are in anticipation. And our players are READY! The first-ever final of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be underway in a few hours. It’s Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium in आमची Mumbai. We have thrived together, enjoyed each other’s success, celebrated the wins, and learnt from our losses. Let’s relive what our girls have done so far in the tournament:

Harmanpreet Kaur: Leading from the front has been our Kaptaan Kaur. With three 50+ scores in the competition and winning three player of the match awards, she has been a force to reckon with bat and as a leader. She has marshalled her troops with elan, kept her arm over the Indian domestic players in her team, and made the overseas players comfortable, giving them the license to express themselves. She started the tournament on a high by muscling 65 off 30 against Gujarat Giants. Can she end it on a high too? 

Hayley Matthews: Having a player in your side who can open the batting and bowling is invaluable. Hayley Matthews has been one for us in the competition. She has been an impact player. Taking the opposition to the cleaners right from the word go and spinning a web around the batters with her wily off-spinners, this Barbadian has brought a lot of colour to our blue and gold. That innings of 77* off 38 and snapping 3/28 in four against Royal Challengers Bangalore in our second game is still fresh in our mind. Overall, 250+ runs and 10+ wickets. Phenomenal!

Yastika Bhatia: The stylish southpaw has often given us good starts. Her partnerships with Hayley Matthews have been pivotal, laying a solid foundation for the batters to follow. With three 40s and a 30 to her name in the WPL so far, she would surely want the half-century milestone to her name in the WPL final. Besides her batting, she has been outstanding behind the stumps.

Natalie Sciver-Brunt: NSB. Perhaps the three lethal letters that no opposition wants to hear. But for us, these alphabets are like music to our ears. Nat is arguably the world’s best all-rounder across all formats, and she has shown in this WPL what she is capable of. If she fails with the bat, she ensures to wreak havoc with the ball, and if she has an off-day with the ball, she gives the bowlers a run for their money. Again, 250+ runs and 10 wickets. Incredible Nat! Cometh the Eliminator, she was on song and entertained us with a masterclass 72* off 38 against UP Warriorz.

Amelia Kerr: The New Zealander has become famous as a MumbaiKerr thanks to her all-round excellence, which has bowled आपली Mumbai over. Nonchalance is what you would associate with her. Scoring runs in the middle-order while forming partnerships with our skip and Nat and then bowling those wily googlies at will, Amelia has quietly but surely had an impact in this WPL. She has had a consistent run in the WPL, and her best was on display in the last league match in which we played against Royal Challengers Bangalore where she claimed 3/22 and scored 31* off 27 to guide us home.

Issy Wong: Wong can do no wrong in this WPL, है कि नही Paltan? 1st hat-trick of the tournament. 1st hat-trick for Mumbai Indians in history. In the must-win Eliminator against UP Warriorz, Issy was bang in her big-match zone as she hit the deck and was, in the end, rewarded with a 4-fer, including the hat-trick. She is quick, she is sharp, and in short, she is your go-to bowler when you are searching for wickets. With a dozen wickets already in her bank, she certainly wants more. Don’t get too overwhelmed by her bowling because she can be equally destructive with the bat, especially when you need those big hits towards the fag end of the innings.

Pooja Vastrakar: Returning after an injury, she has had impressive outings with the bat. Pooja has become synonymous with cameos. In her last three matches, she has played some useful ones, giving us that required push in the end to gain momentum - 26 off 19 v DC, 19 off 18 v RCB, and 11* off 4 v UPW. 

Amanjot Kaur: After a memorable T20I debut early this year, there were a lot of expectations from Amanjot going into the WPL. But the top-order batters and specialist bowlers were doing their jobs so well that the captain may not have gone to Amanjot. Against Delhi Capitals, in our penultimate league match, when our chips were down, Amanjot scored a handy 19 off 16 to show that she is made of steel. There is still a lot of gas in her tank. And yes, we have already seen snippets of her brilliance as an excellent boundary rider on the field.

Humairaa Kaazi: Patrolling that point region with some authority is this Mumbaikar, Humairaa Kaazi. She has been electric on the field. Remember that point-blank throw to run out Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Ellyse Perry in our second league match? Man, that was some throw! While she may not have gotten enough opportunities with either bat or ball to showcase her talent, she is a handy all-rounder. You never know, the final could just be the big stage she’d pick up to announce herself!     

Jintimani Kalita: Off the field, she has been a pure entertainer. But when on the field, she is a serious campaigner who wants to make her presence felt. She has been an exceptional fielder - a testimony of which is that fabulous catch to dismiss Ashleigh Gardner. It was a turning point for sure. In the team as a fast bowler, she got her first scalp in the WPL in the Eliminator against Up Warriorz. It is just the beginning, Jinti. Many more to come, champ!

Saika Ishaque: Saika’s “Bowler hu wicket leni aayi hu” became an overnight sensation after she picked that 4-fer in the WPL opener against Gujarat Giants. She is unafraid to bowl with the new ball inside the powerplay and even in death overs. It’s why she is the leading wicket-taker for us. Also, she is on 15 wickets and just one scalp away from getting back the Purple Cap, which had first found her head in this competition.

Dhara Gujjar: Coming in as a replacement for an injured Pooja Vastrakar, who usually opens the batting for her state team, was slated in the lower-middle order. She was a part of three games, and was brilliant on the field, running and diving around, saving those valuable runs for her team.

Besides, we have Chloe Tryon, Sonam Yadav, Neelam Bisht, Priyanka Bala, and Heather Graham, who, albeit may not have got a game, have been integral parts of our jigsaw puzzle – encouraging their teammates and supporting them in their ups and downs. 

Paltan, let’s hope our team comes out all guns blazing for one FINAL time in this edition of the WPL. Come on, let’s give a shout to आपल्या मुली.