(Cricket News) Another day, yet another sold-out Royal Challengers Bangalore game, means that the home team is winning. In the WPL 2024, it has only taken RCB two games to achieve four points on the table after winning seven games the previous season. They produced a strong all-around performance to continue their winning streak, defeating Gujarat Giants by eight wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Renuka Singh began the Giants’ collapse with a brilliant spell of new-ball bowling, taking 2 for 14 in her four overs. The middle order was then a mess thanks to Sophie Molineux, who ended up with 3 for 25 as the Giants faltered to 107 for 7 after 20 overs. After Smriti Mandhana hit a 27-ball 43 in response, S Meghana carried on the momentum, and in just 12.3 overs, RCB reached their goal and went to the top of the points table.
As in a few of the previous games, RCB captain Mandhana had hoped for some early support for her fast bowlers at the toss. Renuka did not let me down either. The Giants started with a fresh lineup that included Beth Mooney and Harleen Deol. However, that did not improve their situation.
Renuka managed to get the ball to hoop around, but the batters were unable to figure out her in-between lengths. Mooney began by hitting Renuka for two fours: a graceful square drive that got her off to a good start, and a deft flip that went through midwicket.
Renuka was not amused by this. She managed to get the ball to pitch back into Mooney at a wicket angle. The batsman found her off pole flattened after playing down the incorrect line. Phoebe Litchfield followed, moving up to No. 3.
However, she and Deol were both in a chokehold from the RCB bowlers. Before three fours in the sixth over improved the way the powerplay ended, the Giants could only muster 16 runs in the first five overs.
After that, Renuka took out Litchfield for her second wicket, but Richa Ghosh’s astute fielding turned him around. In just one game, Renuka amassed more wickets than she had in the previous seven WPL contests put together. Giants were genuinely reduced in size.
Molineux is making up for lost time after missing nearly a year of activity due to an ACL injury. In the ninth over, she took to the bowl and quickly got her bearings. In just her second over, she got Veda Krishnamurthy to swipe one down deep midwicket’s throat by varying her pace and length. The Giants were down to 50 for 4 in the eleventh over when she saw Deol attempt an impossible single and run her out.
Upon returning for her subsequent spell, she removed Kathryn Bryce from the game after she was outpaced. Even though she was bowled out for a four and a six in the final overs, she managed to grab her third wicket and stump Sneh Rana. Had it not been for D Hemalatha’s 31 off 35 balls, the Giants would not have reached 100. They had faced the most dot balls of any club in a WPL game—67—during the innings.
From the beginning, Mandhana had her sights set on the NRR. Her first four balls from Lea Tahuhu were a backfoot blast past backward point, a draw over midwicket, and a wallop through square leg. From then, there was no turning back.
RCB surged to 32 for 0 after three overs as Bryce was belted past deep midwicket and Meghna Singh was slammed for back-to-back fours. Even though Sophie Devine lost to Ashleigh Gardner, the RCB train continued to move forward.
After hitting a half-century against UP Warriorz, Meghana carried on in the same manner, scoring twice more than Bryce. Eventually, Mandhana fell for 43, giving Tanuja Kanwar a straightforward return catch, but the damage was already done.
At position four, Ellyse Perry entered and started drawing boundaries right away. With 45 balls remaining, she pulled one beyond the short fine leg to give RCB the victory. The Giants are currently positioned last in the points standings.
See more: Eoin Morgan Named PCA President: A Landmark Appointment
