Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated laggards Delhi Capitals by eight wickets to record their fourth consecutive victory in the Women’s Premier League thanks to a masterful half-century from captain Smriti Mandhana in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
With three losses from four games, DC is at the bottom of the five-team rankings, while RCB is still at the top.
After being sent in to bat, explosive opener Shafali Verma scored a brilliant half-century to lead DC to 166. After DC was down 74 for 6, Shafali (62 off 41 balls, 5x4s, 4x6s) played her shots in a counterattacking show.
However, Mandhana’s knock overshadowed Shafali’s effort as RCB overhauled the target in 18.2 overs, even though their chase didn’t get off to the ideal start with in-form Grace Harris leaving in the third over.
However, Mandhana (96 off 61 balls) and Georgia Voll (54 not out off 42 balls) persevered and shared the game-winning 142 runs for the second wicket, laying the groundwork for RCB’s victory with 10 balls remaining.
As the left-handed opener played her shots, Mandhana was the most aggressive of the two. Voll, however, took a supporting role. The duo set the stage for the easy chase by batting calmly and gathering runs with ease.
Voll, who played cautiously at first, upped up the pace as the game went on and hammered five fours and two sixes in her 42-ball knock, while Mandhana adorned her stroke with 13 boundaries and three knocks over the fence.
Although rookie Lucy Hamilton brilliantly caught Mandhana off Nandani Sharma leaving her four runs short of her century, the damage had already been done.
When DC was asked to bat earlier, they had a terrible start, losing two wickets in the first over from Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt. As the Delhi team collapsed to 74 for 6 in 8.1 overs, skipper Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, and Minnu Mani also failed to aid DC’s cause and departed cheaply.
But Shafali was at her most destructive, using her attacking batting to hold one end. She and Prasad (12), who played the supporting role, put up a 59-run stand to keep DC’s innings going.
With a single from left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, Shafali reached her fifty after playing her variety of strokes to every part of the ground. She kept DC in the game since going 10 for 4, counterattacking at her best.
Before DC’s innings was destroyed by spinner Prerna Rawat in the 14th over, Shafali and Sneh Rana, who scored run-a-ball 22, shared a crucial 34-run stand. Gautami Naik dropped Shafali in the 16th over at long-off off Yadav’s bowling, for a reprieve.
Shafali eventually left after Lauren Bell’s bowling was holed out by Prema Rawat. Hamilton (36 off 19) played a great knock near the end to boost DC’s innings.
