Captain Smriti Mandhana lit up the Kotambi Stadium on Monday night with a blistering 81 off 47 balls, her highest in the Women's Premier League (WPL). Her destructive batting led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, maintaining their unbeaten run this season.
Earlier, a powerful bowling performance by Renuka Singh Thakur and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, both of whom took three wickets, limited DC to a humble score of 141. Smriti and Danni Wyatt-Hodge then added a fine 107-run opening stand in response, setting the tone for the chase.
Smriti stood tall, with a masterclass in strokeplay being delivered by her. Her impeccable timing and shot placement amid the strategic needs of the game ensured she slammed ten fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 172.34. Such an effort took RCB to the top of the points table and supported their net run rate.
RCB’s chase of 143 started on a strong note as Smriti wasted no time, pulling Marizanne Kapp for two boundaries. She swiftly dealt with Minnu Mani’s off-spin by sweeping her for back-to-back fours, while Danni also capitalized on misfields, adding two boundaries off Shikha Pandey.
Smriti sustained her fine form by hitting a six over long-off off Arundhati Reddy and adding four more off Shikha Pandey, as RCB moved to 57/0 at the end of Power-play. As dew crept in, the duo kept the momentum going, taking boundaries off Jess Jonassen and Annabel Sutherland to keep ahead in the run-chase.
Smriti completed her half-century in 27 balls, having pulled a boundary off square leg and driven Jess for another boundary. Danni was reprieved on 34 when Jemimah Rodrigues dropped her catch at deep extra cover.
Smriti's brilliance was sustained as she smashed Marizanne's short ball for six deep mid-wicket, while Danni played a four off a fuller ball from the same bowler. But Danni's stay at the crease came to an end when Jemimah made a brilliant catch at deep cover off Arundhati's bowling.
Despite Danni’s departure, Smriti remained unstoppable, dispatching Annabel for a boundary and then hammering Jess for a four and six. Smriti’s scintillating knock concluded at 81 when she was caught by a short fine leg off Shikha Pandey’s delivery. However, it was too late for DC as Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh finished off the chase with 22 balls to spare.
DC labored on a sluggish pitch in the earlier stages, scoring only 51 runs off eight overs prior to the first time-out. Jemimah and Meg Lanning had a good 59-run second-wicket stand. After that partnership was dissolved, the DC innings collapsed. DC lost five wickets before the second time-out, with them fighting in the middle.
Sarah Bryce's 23 off the last few overs ensured DC went past 140, but their score always felt short of the mark. Renuka and Georgia were brilliant with the ball, ably supported by Kim Garth and Ekta Bisht, who also picked up two wickets apiece.
RCB, who decided to bowl first, received an early success when Renuka got rid of Shafali Varma for a golden duck. While there were some LBW appeals, DC started cautiously, with Meg finding the gap for a couple of boundaries against Renuka and Kim. Jemimah then created some thrill, hitting Ekta for six and scoring some boundaries off Joshitha V.J.
Jemimah's fiery knock was brought to a halt when she was pegged back by Richa after missing a reverse sweep off Georgia's bowling. DC's collapse continued as Meg got out off Kim, Annabel got caught off Renuka, and Jess got cleared out by Ekta. Marizanne then holed out to long-off, getting DC into even more chaos.
In spite of a 25-run association between Sarah and Shikha, DC's innings was still on shaky ground. Sarah was stumped by Georgia, and Radha Yadav soon followed, caught by Georgia off a routine caught and bowled. Renuka took her third wicket when Shikha got out, and Kim completed DC's innings by getting Arundhati caught at deep mid-wicket.
Brief Scores:
Delhi Capitals: 141/19.3 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 34, Sarah Bryce 23; Renuka Singh Thakur 3-23, Georgia Wareham 3-25)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 146/2 in 16.2 overs (Smriti Mandhana 81, Danni Wyatt-Hodge 42; Arundhati Reddy 1-25, Shikha Pandey 1-27)
Result: RCB won by eight wickets
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