TATA WPL Season 4 got off to a thrilling start with a last-ball finish between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Mithali Raj and Katey Martin shared their thoughts on the key momentum shifts and Nadine de Klerk’s nerve and all-round impact.
Mithali Raj reflected on the nail-biting opening match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru: “We were talking during the game about wanting the match to be a real nail-biter, one that goes right down to the wire, and that’s exactly what happened, right till the last ball. There were several moments in the game where RCB had Mumbai Indians under pressure. For the longest time in the first innings, up until the 15th over, RCB had a grip on the game by picking up early wickets
and breaking the MI top order. However, that pressure was released in the final five overs. RCB also started well in the powerplay, despite losing wickets and not having any substantial partnerships early on. The partnership between Nadine de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy really brought the game back for RCB. This is exactly how we want TATA WPL Season 4 to begin, and it certainly delivered.”
On Nadine de Klerk’s partnership with Arundhati Reddy: “Nadine not only has a strong awareness of her own game, but she has also delivered these impactful knocks consistently, which speaks volumes about the quality and skill she brings. The partnership with Arundhati Reddy is something we really need to highlight, it wasn’t just about Nadine batting till the end. She needed someone to play a supporting role, and Arundhati did that exceptionally well. They had to build that partnership for Nadine to play such an impactful innings. Without that support, she may have been dismissed much earlier. Because of that partnership, Nadine knew she could take the game deep and push it till the final over.”
Katey Martin analysed Nadine de Klerk’s match-winning performance: “I think there was real clarity in the way Nadine went about her innings. She knows she can back herself to clear the ropes, and that confidence is crucial. We’ve spoken so much about the importance of Nadine de Klerk. Her bowling was outstanding in the first innings; she knew exactly what worked from a bowler’s perspective, and she carried that awareness into her batting. She produced something special under pressure and was probably the only player who truly held her nerve throughout the day. In moments like these, it comes down to who can handle the biggest pressure situations, and we’ve seen Nadine do it before. She’s banked that confidence over the last 18 months. Also, when a player has the hot hand at the other end, it’s easy to fall out of rhythm, but I thought Arundhati Reddy handled that brilliantly. Her contribution, including those two boundaries, especially the four off the last ball of the penultimate over to get Nadine back on strike was a crucial moment in the game.”
