Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a commanding eight-wicket victory against Delhi Capitals (DC) in their Women's Premier League (WPL) clash in Vadodara, thanks to stellar performances from Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, and captain Smriti Mandhana.
Former Indian captain Mithali Raj praised RCB's performance, emphasizing the team's dominance from the start. With two consecutive wins, RCB leads the table, while DC, with a win and a loss, is in third place.
The game turned in RCB's favor right from the first over, when Renuka Singh dismissed Shafali Varma with her opening delivery, caught by Smriti Mandhana. Despite an early setback, DC's Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Meg Lanning tried to rebuild. Rodrigues accelerated the innings against Ekta Bisht and Joshitha, bringing up DC’s 50 in just 5.4 overs with a six.
However, the partnership was broken at 60 runs when Georgia Wareham had Jemimah stumped by Richa Ghosh for 34. Shortly after, Kim Garth removed Lanning for 17, taking DC to 62/3. Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp managed to take DC to 83/3 by the 10-over mark. But after Sutherland fell for 19, Smarti's stunning catch off Renuka's delivery saw DC crumble further.
A struggling DC lineup managed a modest 141 in 19.3 overs, with Sarah Bryce and Shikha Pandey attempting to resist but falling short. Renuka (3/23) and Wareham (3/25) spearheaded RCB’s attack, dismantling DC's batting with adept pace and spin. Garth (2/19) and Bisht (2/35) provided valuable support.
RCB's opening duo of Mandhana and Danni Wyatt laid a solid foundation in their pursuit of 142. Mandhana set the tone with early boundaries, and Wyatt complemented her by finding gaps as the powerplay ended. At 57 without loss, RCB's chase was off to a flying start.
Mandhana reached her half-century in just 27 balls and, with Wyatt, propelled RCB to 100 in 10 overs. Arundhati Reddy eventually dismissed Wyatt for 42, but Mandhana continued her assault, piling on runs against Jonassen and Sutherland. Before succumbing for 81, she had steered RCB close to victory.
Richa Ghosh sealed the win in style with a six, helping RCB reach 146/2 in 16.1 overs. With this emphatic victory, RCB reasserted itself as a formidable force in the WPL, showcasing excellence in both their bowling and batting departments.