On March 6 at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians thoroughly defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by nine wickets in the current Women’s Premier League (WPL).
When Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet’s opponent, won the toss, she decided to play first. Smriti and Sophie Devine were the quick starters. The pair quickly learned the lines of demarcation and appeared to have total command of the eagerly awaited fight.
Wicket No. 3⃣ for @MyNameIs_Hayley 👏 👏
She is on a roll & so are @mipaltan 👌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/zKmKkNrbvr#TATAWPL | #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/relBhVSGeP
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 6, 2023
However, an effective Saika Ishaque ended their hold at the crease by capturing Devine’s crucial scalp. The middle order then collapsed like a house of cards as the team dropped successive wickets for less than 50 runs.
.@Vastrakarp25 strikes in her first over! 🙌 🙌@YastikaBhatia takes the catch 👍 👍#RCB lose their 6th wicket as Kanika Ahuja departs.
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/zKmKkNrbvr#TATAWPL | #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/tcpvGDXEUG
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 6, 2023
Smriti also ran out of steam and was bowled out by Hayley Matthews for just 23 runs off 17 deliveries. Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja, who were in the centre of the order, made an effort to fight as they put together a 34-run partnership before Ahuja was sent back to the dugout.
1⃣0⃣0⃣ up for @RCBTweets in 12 overs 👍 👍@13richaghosh & Kanika Ahuja are upping the ante 👏 👏
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/zKmKkNrbvr#TATAWPL | #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/XGTYVTaN1q
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 6, 2023
RCB ultimately put up a total of 155 runs on the board with little to no assistance from the rest of the team. Amelia Kerr and Ishaque each took two wickets, while Hayley Matthews amassed a three-wicket total.
1⃣ brings 2⃣, they say! 💬
Saika Ishaque agrees & how! 👏 👏
Watch how she dismissed Sophie Devine & Disha Kasat 🔽
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/zKmKkNrbvr#TATAWPL | #MIvRCB | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/DMAwM6DgXR
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 6, 2023
Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia gave a good head start in response to the total, scoring 45 runs between them. Preeti Bose did manage to take Bhatia’s wicket, which was interestingly the only wicket in the run chase.
Nat Sciver-Brunt, who joined the group almost immediately, and Matthews then exercised complete dominance. The pair easily smashed the boundaries because the opposing bowling team was at a loss as to how to end the alliance.
Matthews and Sciver-Brunt continued their unblemished streaks with explosive scores of 77 off 38 balls and 55 off 29 balls, respectively, to lead their team to an easy victory. With the 114-run partnership, Bombay outscored RCB by nine wickets to defeat them by nine runs.
