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A stunning bowling display from Sobhana Asha helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore Women to a narrow two-run Women’s Premier League victory over the UP Warriorz at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday evening.
The legbreak bowler claimed 5-22 in four overs as the Warriorz were restricted to 155 for seven in reply to RCB’s 157 for six after Alyssa Healy had won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Healy was the first to go, bowled by Sophie Molineux (4-0-36-1) before Dinesh Vrinda (18) was stumped by Richa Ghosh from the bowling of Asha. Asha then bowled Tahlia McGrath two balls later to leave the chase finely balanced.
But, a wonderful stand of 77 between Grace Harris (38) and Shweta Sehrawat (31) from just 46 balls put the chase back in tune and looked set to send the Warriorz on course for victory. However, Asha would then claim three wickets in one over to send the Warriorz spiralling out of control.
Asha first had Sehrawat caught at extra cover by Smriti Mandhana before clean-bowling Harris three balls later. With the final ball of the 17th over, Asha had Kiran Navgire stumped by Ghosh for just a single, to reduce the Warriorz from 126 for three to 128 for six.
Poonam Khemar (14) and Deepti Sharma (13 not out) tried to get their side over the line with a 19-run stand from 10 balls but when Georgia Wareham (3-0-23-1) bowled Khemar, the Warriorz still needed 11 from the final over.
Molineux bowled brilliantly in defending the final 11 runs, conceding just eight runs to hand RCB their first victory of the 2024 tournament.
Earlier half-centuries from Sabbhineni Maghana (53) and Ghosh (62) helped RCB Women to a par score of 157 for six. Ghosh, who struck 12 boundaries in her 37-ball innings, shared in a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket with Meghana, who struck seven boundaries and a six in 44 balls.
Meghana brought up her fifty off 40 balls while Ghosh was more flashy, needing just 31 deliveries to raise her bat.
RCB found themselves in a bit of trouble on 54 for three with Sophi Devine (1), Mandhana (13) and Ellyse Perry (8) back in the hut. Devine was first to go, trapped in front by the spin of Grace Harris (3-0-22-1) while captain Mandhana was caught at short fine leg by Dinesh Vrinda from the bowling of McGrath (4-0-39-1).
Perry, who enjoyed a good season last term, struck Sophie Ecclestone (4-0-26-1) straight to Saima Thakor in the covers. But, Meghana and Ghosh looked to rebuild the innings as both players moved the ball around the park with ease, while scoring boundaries freely.
The big breakthrough came when Rajeshwari Gayakwad (4-0-24-2) struck twice in one over, first having Maghana stumped by wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy for 53 and then having Georgia Harris caught at point by Harris without scoring.
Ghosh, looking to accelerate the innings, looked to flick a ball from outside off-stump fine down the leg from the bowling of Deepti Sharma (3-0-23-1), but only managed to flick the ball onto her off-stump after moving too far across her stumps.
Molineux (9 not out) and Shreyanka Patil (8 not out) struck one four and a six between the pair as RCB managed to push their score close to the 160-run mark.
