Fast and furious: How Ismail slayed the Giants

Pre-match routines mean different things to different people.

For Shabnim Ismail, it was to target the lone stump 22 yards away. And to keep firing them in until she hit the base. She was targeting toe-crushers.

For 15 minutes, she was at it. Every ball, full energy. But she wasn't quite hitting her mark. And then towards the end, she finally nailed one. The stump went flying out of its groove and Ismail was gleaming with the happiness of a toddler who had finally learnt to walk.

Ismail didn't have too many chances to gleam in WPL 2023. Three forgettable games with UP Warriorz later, she was back in the auction pool. What were the chances that a retired international would attract the same interest?

It was never meant to be this way. Ismail was to be among the first names on the team sheet. But it hurt to be told she was being let go. And she didn't suppress it. Ismail decided to heal by breathing fire and showing everyone who the boss lady was. On Sunday, there was little doubt.

In theory, Mumbai Indians didn't need to tinker around much with a championship-winning combination from last year. But how do you bid aggressively for someone like Ismail and tell her she's not in the XI?

Harmanpreet Kaur didn't need to worry. She knew, retired or not, Ismail was a four-over guarantee who'd give her heart, pace, fire and hostility. Essentially much more than just running into bowl. Ismail has spoken often about getting that feel when she has the ball in hand. Of knocking batters off. On Sunday night, Ismail truly felt that way.

It was as if she was whispering sweet something to the white spherical object in her hand and it was simply obeying her instructions to the T.

Veda Krishnamurthy, on WPL debut, bore the brunt of this fury in the first over. A perfectly pitched full-length delivery jagged back in off the seam to strike the pad as she played all around it. Strike one.

Harleen Deol came next. Full of confidence after a disdainful whip for six off Nat-Sciver Brunt at the other end. This time it was not just the late movement but the skid off the deck that had her hustling to keep the ball out. Too late, gone. Strike two.

Ismail didn't need more than 10 minutes to show she was truly a boss lady. A back-up to none.

She was so charged up by now that she decided to now rattle the heart of the Giants' batting. And part of that plan was to attack Beth Mooney, whose tournament didn't even last a game last year due to injury. Here, two overs in, she had to contend with serious heat and the early blows.

Ismail decided to dish out a fiery bouncer. Mooney ducked. The ball flew over the wicketkeeper's head for five wides. It would've irked some. Not Ismail. The short ball was meant to be a statement that she meant business. The end result wasn't of consequence. It was merely part of a wider plan to show she was the one calling the shots.

Ismail came back to dismiss Mooney, out attempting an audacious scoop. Coming at the time it did - Giants were reduced to 58 for 5 in the 11th over - had a deflating effect on the batting team. Along the way, Ismail had delivered a perfect sequel to her opening-night thunder, when she splayed Shafali Varma's stumps.

Ash Gardner highlighted prior to the game the importance of taking the attack to Ismail, and not allowing her to settle. Ismail delivered the perfect riposte.