WPL 2026: Inconsistency, injuries hurt defending champions MI, admits Lisa Keightley

Mumbai Indians head coach Lisa Keightley conceded that inconsistency and a poor start hurt the defending champions’ campaign in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), following their 11-run defeat against Gujarat Giants at the BCA Stadium on Friday.

The loss further dented the Mumbai Indians’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs, with Keightley pointing to early setbacks that prevented the side from building momentum. “We definitely struggled early to get going. Injuries and sicknesses to key players made things tough, and we had to adjust combinations more than we wanted. We could not build the partnerships needed to gain momentum, which put us under pressure straight away. Losing matches early in the tournament was not ideal,” Keightley said after the match.

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Mumbai’s problems began even before their opening game, when all-rounder Hayley Matthews suffered a quad niggle during a practice match after arriving in India. Keightley admitted that Matthews’ absence forced the team to move away from their preferred opening combination and rely on makeshift solutions throughout the season.

“We were very clear on what our line-up looked like going into the tournament. When Hayley was unavailable for the first few games, we had to work out new combinations. Replacing a world-class opening batter is never easy,” she said.

After experimenting with multiple opening pairs, Mumbai eventually settled on S Sajana partnering Matthews at the top of the order. Keightley praised the Indian all-rounder for stepping into an unfamiliar role under pressure.

“We feel Sajana and Hayley are our best options at the top. She started the tournament very well in a different role and then had to make adjustments for the team. Facing world-class bowlers is never easy, but she prepared well and put the team first,” she said.

Reflecting on the defeat against the Giants, Keightley identified a decisive phase in the match. “The two overs after their time-out were a big shift. We had things under control until then, but that phase changed the game,” she said.

She also credited Gujarat for executing better in crucial moments, especially with Harmanpreet Kaur slamming a stellar 82-run knock during the chase. “They bowled really well and were simply better than us when it mattered,” Keightley added.

Mumbai Indians ended the league stage with three wins and five losses, finishing third on the points table due to a superior net run rate of +0.059. For the first time in four WPL seasons, their qualification now hinges on the outcome of another fixture, with the bottom-placed clash between Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz on Sunday set to determine their fate.