Nat Sciver-Brunt Breaks WPL 90s Curse to Hit First Century

Summary: Mumbai Indians’ captain posts unbeaten 100 to set record and power MI past RCB in WPL thriller.

Nat Sciver-Brunt finally ended a long-standing “90s curse” in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Monday, becoming the first player in the league’s history to score a century and leading Mumbai Indians Women (MI) to a crucial win over Royal Challengers Bangalore Women (RCB).

The England captain struck a brave and unbeaten 100 off just 57 balls, laced with 16 fours and a six, as MI posted a strong 199 for 4 after being sent in to bat. Her knock wasn’t just about the milestone — it gave MI a solid platform in the latter overs and put pressure on RCB’s bowlers throughout the innings.

Sciver-Brunt later explained why this century felt especially satisfying: she had seen several big names get dismissed in the 90s in past WPL seasons and didn’t want to repeat that pattern. “I’ve seen a few players get out in the 90s, so I didn’t want to replicate that,” she said, adding that her priority was always to score as many runs as possible for the team rather than just chase a personal landmark.

Her innings was anchored by a massive 131-run partnership for the second wicket with Hayley Matthews, who chipped in with a useful 56 off 39 balls, helping MI build a challenging total. The two batters complemented each other well — Matthews’ brisk scoring early on gave Sciver-Brunt the freedom to accelerate later in the innings.

MI’s total proved just enough: although RCB’s Richa Ghosh continued her rich form with a valiant 90 off 50 balls, her efforts couldn’t quite take RCB over the line. MI held on to win by 15 runs, boosting their position in the points table with a big performance in a must-win game.

Before Sciver-Brunt’s innings, the WPL had seen a string of near-misses: players like Georgia Voll (99 not out) and Sophie Devine (99) had fallen agonisingly short of cricket’s landmark score, while several others, including Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney and Smriti Mandhana, were dismissed in the 96-range during previous seasons or matches. That made Sciver-Brunt’s achievement all the more notable.

For Sciver-Brunt, this was not only her first T20 century but also a moment of personal pride and a statement of intent as MI chase a deep run in this season’s competition. Her decision to convert starts into big scores — rather than being dismissed in the nervous 90s — underscores her growing consistency and leadership as a batter in the league.

With this historic knock, Sciver-Brunt didn’t just help her side win — she also etched her name into WPL records and set a new benchmark for big scoring in the tournament.