The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) claimed their second victory of the TATA WPL 2024 conquering the Gujarat Giants (GG) by an 8-wicket win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
RCB Restricts GG to Below-Par Total:
Batting first, RCB bowlers led by Sophie Molineux (3/25) and Renuka Singh Thakur (2/14) showed good discipline with the ball and restricted GG to just 107 for 7. Thakur, who started the proceedings by taking two wickets within the first seven overs, set the tone for the rest. This wasn’t enough for GG to recover, as they could ultimately not create meaningful partnerships for the remaining part of the innings.
Mandhana Shines as RCB Chases Down Target with Ease:
Setting a target of 108 for a win, the skipper Smriti Mandhana led the chase from the front for RCB. Though they lost Sophie Devine cheaply in the second over, Mandhana went on to score a flawless stroke-played 43 off just 27 balls. Her attacking approach powered RCB to 47/1 in six overs, hitting three boundaries in the first over and another two during the powerplay.
Meghana, Perry Combine to Seal the Win:
After the powerplay, Mandhana and Sabbhineni Meghna continued their attacking style. While Mandhana fell short of a half-century, Meghna continued to be unbeaten, scoring some powerful knocks to bring RCB closer to victory. Alice Perry and Meghan partnered for a boundary to end the match in style, giving RCB a convincing victory with 45 balls and eight wickets to spare
Early Wickets and Tight Bowling Restrict GG:
Earlier, RCB skipper Mandhana won the toss and elected to bat. Renuka Singh Thakur got RCB off to a good start, dismissing GG skipper Beth Mooney in the third over with a good inswinger. While RCB maintained hard bowling throughout the power play, it put pressure on the GG batsmen.
Short protests from Phoebe Litchfield and Harleen Dewall soon saw three boundaries off Shreyanka Patil’s over. Renuka Singh scored again to dismiss Litchfield, followed by valuable wickets by Ved Krishnamurthy and Harleen Dev. Sophie Molyneux and Georgia Wareham picked up two wickets, limiting GG’s scoring opportunities. Dayalan Hemlath’s unbeaten 31 (off 25 balls) provided some late resistance, but GG collapsed, managing just 107/7 in their allotted 20 overs
The win consolidates RCB at the top of the WPL 2024 points table and showcases their strong batting and bowling. They will be looking to continue their winning momentum in the upcoming games.
Scores in Brief:
Gujarat Giants 107/7 in 20 overs (D Hemalatha 31*, Harleen Deol 21; Sophie Molineux 3-25, Renuka Thakur 2-14)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 110/2 in 12.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 43, S Meghana 36*, Ellyse Perry 23*)
Result: Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 8 wickets
