The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium witnessed a run-fest as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCB) chased down a mammoth 202-run target to secure a thrilling six-wicket victory against the Gujarat Giants Women in their opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Richa Ghosh’s explosive hitting and Ellyse Perry’s composed innings were the highlights of a captivating contest.
Gujarat Giants Women, after winning the toss, elected to bat first and posted a formidable 201/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Beth Mooney laid a solid foundation with a well-constructed 56 off 42 balls, anchoring the top order. However, it was Ashleigh Gardner who truly ignited the innings with a breathtaking, unbeaten 79 off just 37 deliveries.
Her innings was a masterclass of clean hitting, featuring three fours and a staggering eight sixes, propelling Gujarat to a total that looked daunting at the halfway mark. Deandra Dottin also chipped in with a vital 25 off 13 balls, adding to the late-overs onslaught.
While Gujarat looked set for an even higher total, RCB’s bowlers managed to pull things back slightly in the death overs. Renuka Singh Thakur was the most impressive of the RCB bowlers, claiming 2 wickets for 25 runs, while Kanika Ahuja and Georgia Wareham also picked up a wicket apiece.
Chasing a target exceeding 200, RCB needed a strong start, but they suffered an early setback, losing captain Smriti Mandhana for just 9 and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge for 4 within the first two overs.
This early wobble put the pressure firmly on Ellyse Perry and Raghvi Bist. Perry, known for her experience and composure, steadied the innings with a crucial 57 off 34 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes), while Bist played a supporting role with 25 off 27.
Their partnership of 86 runs brought RCB back into the game. However, the real fireworks were yet to come. Richa Ghosh joined Perry at the crease and unleashed a brutal assault on the Gujarat bowlers.
Ghosh’s unbeaten 64 off just 27 balls, laced with seven fours and four massive sixes, completely changed the complexion of the match.
Kanika Ahuja provided the perfect finishing touch with a rapid 30 not out off 13 deliveries (4 fours), as RCB cruised to victory with 1.3 overs to spare. The Ghosh-Ahuja partnership of 93 runs in just 7 overs was the game-changer.
“That was an incredible chase,” exclaimed a jubilant RCB captain after the match. “We knew we had the batting firepower, but we needed someone to take charge. Richa was simply phenomenal. She played an innings of a lifetime. Ellyse and Raghvi also played crucial roles in setting up the chase.”
A dejected Gujarat captain, Ashleigh Gardner, despite her own heroics with the bat, lamented her team’s bowling performance.
“We put up a good score, but our bowlers couldn’t execute our plans,” she said. “We need to be more disciplined and find ways to contain batters like Richa. It’s a learning experience for us, and we’ll come back stronger.”
This thrilling victory gives RCB a dream start to their WPL campaign, showcasing their batting prowess and resilience.
For Gujarat, it’s a disappointing loss, exposing their bowling vulnerabilities. They will need to regroup quickly and address these issues if they want to contend for the title. The high-scoring nature of the match, however, provided a glimpse of the exciting cricket that fans can expect in this year’s WPL.
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