Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], January 31 : Former Indian captain Mithali Raj hailed Gujarat Giants (GG) all-rounders Sophie Devine for her crucial contributions in the team's eliminator qualification in the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) season, saying that the confidence of the skipper in handing her the ball during a pressure situation says a lot about her.
Devine's crucial 25 runs, coupled with a tight spell of 2/23 in four overs, including massive wickets of Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt, played a major role in GG's 11-run win over defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI), sealing her team's spot in the playoffs. Besides her useful 237 runs in eight innings at an average of 33.85 and a strike rate of 152.90 with two fifties, Devine is enjoying a season of a lifetime with the ball, currently holding the Purple Cap with 17 wickets at an average of 13.94, including best figures of 4/37.
Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Match Centre Live', JioStar expert Mithali highlighted Devine's skillset as a top-order batter or as a bowler in the middle-overs/death overs, pointing out how her set-ups, field placements and slower deliveries make her a valuable player for the franchise.
"Sophie Devine is someone who's been very impactful with both her skills, whether with the bat up the order or with her bowling coming good in the middle overs. Whichever role the Captain has wanted to use her in, Devine has always used her experience and the control she has to come in and bowl in the death overs," she said.
"That has been exceptional, and to do that time and again for Gujarat Giants makes her a pretty valuable player for them at the moment. Her plans, the way she sets up batters, the field placements she uses, and her slower ones have all come in really useful for Gujarat Giants. The confidence of the Captain each time to give her the ball in a pressure situation, and the fact that she's always delivered, says a lot," he concluded.
Mithali spoke on Wareham's all-round show, scoring 44* in 26 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes and taking two wickets as well in a tight spell of 2/26 in four overs, saying that she adjusted her line really well after being hit for boundaries initially and operated well within the 'corridor of uncertainty' outside the off-stump.
"Georgia Wareham started off with that impact with the bat, her partnership with the Captain, Ashleigh Gardner, and then continued that momentum with the ball. The way she came in to bowl, yes, she started a little way outside the off stump and got hit for a couple of boundaries, but then she adjusted quickly with her line. There was a chance of Harmanpreet Kaur that was put down, but she really bowled well, keeping the stumps in play. The plan was precisely that, to always operate within the corridor, and she executed that really well," he said.
During the match, GG won the toss and opted to bat first. After slipping to 71/3 in 10.3 overs, a late surge from skipper Ash Gardner (46 in 28 balls, with seven fours and a six) and Georgia Wareham (44* in 26 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) took them to 167/4 in 20 overs. Amelia Kerr (2/26) and Shabnim Ismail (1/29) were the pick of the bowlers for MI.
In their run-chase, MI lost wickets regularly and were restricted to 82/4. Harmanpreet (82* in 48 balls, with eight fours and four sixes) was left fighting a lone battle, as timely scalps from Wareham (2/26), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (1/46) and Sophie Devine (2/26) left MI 11 runs short.