The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) made a remarkable comeback in the Women’s Premier League as the tournament shifted to Delhi for its second half. In their last game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB secured a 23-run victory against UP Warriorz, with Smriti Mandhana’s outstanding 80-run innings playing a pivotal role. Despite suffering defeats in their previous two outings, RCB’s spirited performance in this match propelled them back into contention for a top spot in the points table.
Opting to bat first, RCB posted an impressive total of 198/3, the highest in the season so far, with Smriti Mandhana leading the charge. Alyssa Healy also contributed with a half-century, but UP Warriorz fell short, finishing at 175/8. The decision to promote S Meghana to the opening slot proved successful, as she formed a quick-fire 51-run partnership with Smriti.
Smriti Mandhana, despite getting two reprieves, showcased aggressive and classy strokes, entertaining the crowd of over 26,000 spectators. Ellyse Perry’s explosive innings in the final overs, along with Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 21, added crucial runs to RCB’s total.
“I was really focused coming into the game today,” stated Smriti. “The last two losses hurt us a lot, we really wanted to go out there and express ourselves regardless of whether we were batting first or second. The pitch was holding a bit, but we really backed ourselves to go for our shots. We spoke about that in the dressing room as well, that we should go for it if the ball lands in the zone.”
In the chase, Healy and Kiran Navgire provided a promising start for UP Warriorz, but they couldn’t capitalize on the momentum. Key wickets, including Athapaththu and Harris, fell, and despite efforts from Deepti Sharma and Poonam Khemnar, RCB’s bowlers – Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Asha Sobhana, and Sophie Molineux – shared eight wickets, securing the victory for RCB.
As the tournament progresses, RCB’s strong performance in this match positions them well for the upcoming challenges in the Women’s Premier League.
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