CRICKET-Matthews tidy, but MI Women stumble to another defeat.

DELHI, India, CMC – A tidy all-round performance from West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews failed to inspire Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals beat them by 29 runs in the Women’s Premier League Twenty20 tournament on Tuesday in India.

With her off-spin, the 25-year-old Barbadian all-rounder took one for 23 from two overs. Still, Capitals rode half-centuries from India international Jemimah Rodrigues and Australia international Meg Lanning to reach 192 for four after they were put in to bat in the match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Matthews, opening the batting, made 29 off 17 balls that included a half-dozen boundaries, but she was one of four wickets that fell in the Power Play, and MI could only reply with 163 for eight and sank to their second defeat in five matches in the tournament.

MI lost wickets in each of the first three overs of the chase – South Africa international Marizanne Kapp bowled opener Yastika Bhatia for six in the first over, and England international Nat Sciver-Brunt made five and suffered a similar fate. MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur was caught at backward point off Kapp for six.

Matthews remained long enough to carry MI past 50 before Australia international Jess Jonassen got her caught at mid-wicket in the final over of the Power Play.

MI were 55 for five, and they never recovered despite 42 from Amanjot Kaur, batting at seven, 24 not out from Sajeevan Sajana, batting at eight, and their stand of 48 for the seventh wicket.

Jonassen was the pick of the Capitals bowlers, taking three for 21 from four overs, and Kapp ended with two for 37 from four overs.

Earlier, Rodrigues was unbeaten on 69 from 33 balls, including eight fours and three sixes, and Australia international Meg Lanning, the Capitals captain, supported with 53 from 38 balls punctuated with six fours and two sixes to lead their side’s batting.

Lanning anchored the top half of the Capitals, batting to 56 for one at the close of the Power Play 56 and 86 for two at the halfway stage before she was caught at deep mid-wicket off Pooja Vastrakar in the 13th over.

Rodrigues kept the Capitals’ bottom half batting together and helped them add 69 in the final five overs.