Saikiran Uppuluri
Saikiran Uppuluri
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) continued their winning streak in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 with a commanding 8-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB’s victory was set up by a disciplined bowling performance, led by Renuka Thakur’s early breakthroughs, restricting Giants to a modest total of 107/7 in their 20 overs.
In response, RCB’s skipper, Smriti Mandhana, led from the front with a blistering 43 off just 27 balls, laying the foundation for the chase. S Meghana provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 36, as RCB chased down the target with 7.3 overs to spare.
Giants’ innings got off to a shaky start as Thakur struck early, dismissing Beth Mooney with a sharp delivery. Despite a few boundaries, Giants struggled to accelerate, losing wickets at regular intervals. D Hemalatha’s gritty 31* and some late hitting helped Giants cross the 100-run mark.
RCB’s bowling was led by Sophie Molineux, who picked up 3 crucial wickets for 25 runs. RCB’s fielding was sharp, with Harleen Deol being run-out due to a mix-up.
In the chase, Mandhana’s aggressive start set the tone for RCB. She found boundaries at regular intervals and looked set for a big score before getting out to Tanuja Kanwer. Meghana, however, ensured there were no further hiccups, playing some aggressive strokes to guide RCB to victory.
With this win, RCB has maintained their unbeaten run in the tournament and will look to carry this momentum forward in the upcoming matches.
