Issy Wong scripted history by becoming the first bowler to take hat-trick in WPL

Issy Wong on Friday became the first player to take a hat-trick during the ongoing WPL 2023 season. The English pacer achieved the feat during the Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz Eliminator in Mumbai on Thursday. She finished with a spell of 4/15 as Mumbai Indians defeated their rivals by 72 runs to reach the Women's Premier League final.

Issy Wong brought up her hat-trick during the 13th over of the match as she dismissed Kiran Navgire, Simran Shaikh, and Sophie Ecclestone with successive deliveries. The streak took the fire out of the UP Warriorz run chase as Navgire, who scored 43 runs off 27 balls, threatened to chase down the target of 182.

At the time of Navgire's dismissal, she was building up an important stand with Deepti Sharma. The right-handed batter, who had struggled against short deliveries, was bowled short by the English pacer early in the over and Navgire shot it straight to Nat Sciver at deep mid-wicket.

Issy Wong then bowled two back-to-back yorkers, if not identical deliveries, to dismiss recognised batters Simran and Ecclestone for a golden duck to virtually kill the game for UP. Wong was in destructive mode from the beginning of the innings as she picked the wicket of danger-woman Alyssa Healy in the powerplay.

Issy Wong took her tally of wickets to 12 with the four-wicket haul and is fifth in the Purple Cap or Highest-wicket-taking race of WPL behind her three teammates Amelia Kerr (13 wickets), Hayley Matthews (13) and Saika Ishaque (14). UP Warriorz' Sophie Ecclestone continue to lead the chart as she increased her wicket-taking tally to 16.

Earlier batting first on a slow DY Patil wicket, Mumbai Indians scored a huge 182/4 with Nat-Sciver Brunt firing 72 runs off just 38 balls. Amelia Kerr also contributed a 19-ball 29 after Hayley Matthews and Yashtika Bhatia scored 26 and 21 runs respectively.