Nat Sciver-Brunt made her mark in Women’s Premier League (WPL) history by becoming the first centurion in the tournament, as she hit a breathtaking knock that helped Mumbai Indians (MI) post a strong 199 for 4 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Vadodara.
Shattering the WPL’s Curse of Nervous Nineties: 1st WPL Century
Some of the best openers had come close to scoring centuries in previous matches, as Smriti Mandhana was bowled out on 96 and Sophie Devine was dismissed for 95. Nat Sciver-Brunt was aware of this trend and made sure that she did not follow suit.
🚨 NAT SCIVER-BRUNT – THE FIRST EVER CENTURION OF THE WPL HISTORY. 🚨pic.twitter.com/pgQ6sPnyFp
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 26, 2026
“I’d seen a few players get out in the 90s, so I didn’t want to replicate that,” Sciver-Brunt said in a post-match interview.
However, Nat Sciver-Brunt kept her team’s requirements in mind and made sure that she contributed as much as possible to MI’s total.
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Match-Winning Innings Under Pressure
Contributing with an early 16 for 1 in the third over, Nat Sciver-Brunt showed class and composure. She was the one who held the innings together with two crucial partnerships that dismantled the RCB bowling attack:
- 131-run partnership in 73 balls with Hayley Matthews
- Quick 42-run partnership in 25 balls with Harmanpreet Kaur
These partnerships completely swung the match in the favor of Mumbai Indians and left the opposition with a daunting total.
Maiden T20 Hundred and Emotional Celebration
Sciver-Brunt hit her first T20 hundred in the final over, striking Shreyanka Patil over the infield. She marked the occasion with a emotional “T” celebration, removing her helmet to thank the fans. The gesture was in recognition of her son Theodore Michael and a nod to her wife, Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
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“Just a little nod to home,” she said. “Katherine wanted a ‘T’ and she wanted me to get three figures.”
Praise for Hayley Matthews’ Comeback
Speaking about her own experience with Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt emphasized the importance of Matthews’ return to action after a long injury lay-off.
“She’ll be really pleased to come back after such a long lay-off and score like that. I really enjoy batting with her.”
Their partnership was crucial to MI’s success.
Nat Sciver-Brunt Leads WPL Run Scorers Again
With this historic century, Nat Sciver-Brunt has again topped the list of WPL run scorers, emphasizing her consistency and importance to the team throughout the season.
“It’s my first T20 hundred, so I’m really happy to get past that milestone and hopefully it’s not the last.”
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