Vadodara, (UNI) A scintillating counterattack from Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCBW) to a stunning six-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants in a high-scoring Women’s Premier League (WPL) encounter here on Friday.
After Gujarat Giants posted a daunting 201/5 in their 20 overs, RCBW chased down the target with 1.3 overs to spare, finishing at 202/4 in 18.3 overs. The chase, which initially seemed improbable after a poor start, was powered by Perry’s well-paced fifty and Richa’s destructive onslaught, exposing Gujarat’s sloppy fielding.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Gujarat Giants showcased an explosive batting display, overcoming early stutters to post a commanding total. Skipper Beth Mooney (56) anchored the innings before Ashleigh Gardner unleashed a brutal assault on the RCBW bowlers. Gardner’s 67-run partnership with Deandra Dottin (25 off 13) propelled Gujarat past the 200-run mark.
Gardner’s onslaught saw her smashing eight sixes, equalling Sophie Devine’s WPL record for the most in an innings. Gujarat’s ten sixes in total were the second-highest ever in a single WPL match. Their 201/5 joined the elite club of highest WPL totals, trailing only behind Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.
Chasing a mammoth 202, RCBW got off to a disastrous start as Gujarat’s skipper Gardner struck twice in the second over, dismissing Smriti Mandhana (9) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (4) within five balls. With RCBW reeling at 14/2, Gujarat had a golden opportunity to tighten their grip on the match. However, what followed was a horror show in the field.
Dropped catches, missed run-outs, misfields, and poor bowling discipline cost Gujarat dearly. Perry was dropped on 2 in the fourth over and again on 18 in the sixth over, while Richa was let off on 0 in the 12th over. These missed chances proved to be the turning point as both batswomen went on to notch fifties.
Perry (57 off 34) steadied the ship after the early blows, anchoring the chase and laying a strong foundation. But it was Richa Ghosh who completely took the game away from Gujarat with a sensational knock. The wicketkeeper-batswoman blazed her way to 64 off just 27 balls, hammering seven fours and four sixes to dismantle the Giants’ bowling attack.
Her fearless approach and calculated aggression shut the door on Gujarat, with her six-hitting prowess demoralising the opposition. Supported well by Kanika Ahuja (30* off 13), Richa ensured RCBW got over the line comfortably.
This thrilling chase will serve as a huge confidence booster for RCBW as they head into the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Gujarat will be left ruing their missed opportunities, knowing they had the match in their grasp before lapses in the field proved costly.
