RCBW vs GGW WPL 2024 Highlights: Royal Challengers Bangalore beats Gujarat Giants by 8 wickets

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women won the toss and opted to bowl, and it was a brilliant all-round performance with Sophie Molineux picking up a three-wicket haul, but it was Renuka Singh who turned the match in Bangalore’s favour with her early burst of two wickets. Chasing 108 runs, Smriti Mandhana hammered a brilliant 27-ball 43 and Sabbhineni Meghana carried her bat through with an unbeaten 36, along with Ellyse Perry. Commanding win from RCB. 

RCB is on an amazing run and both Perry and Meghana have produced sensational shots to take their team close to victory.

Tanuja Kanwar with the breakthrough as she removes Smriti with a nice caught and bowl. The RCB skipper has set the tone with a brilliant 27-ball 43, and it was a treat to watch Smriti in full flow. 

Sabbhineni Meghana is toying with the bowlers as she smashes Sneh Rana for two consecutive boundaries - a brilliant loft over cover and then a smash to the long-on boundary. Smriti, with another pull, makes the run chase light.

Smriti is in fabulous touch as she smacks Lea Tahuhu for a massive six over long--on as RCB races towards victory.

Ashleigh Gardner is looking for a breakthrough, but RCB ends the PowerPlay on a bright note, with Smriti leading from the front and Meghana for company. 

Meghna clears her front foot and smacks Bryce to the mid-on boundary to keep the momentum going. RCB should gun down the chase with ease, given the way they are going. 

Ashleigh Gardner got the breakthrough immediately after being introduced to the attack. The off-spinner dismissed Devine, who hit a juicy half-tracker straight into the hands of Meghna Singh at backward square leg. Smriti, however, is on a roll. 

It’s raining boundaries at the Chinnaswamy and Smriti biscests the gap - first through the off-side and then targeting the deep mid-wicket region. Nothing is going in Gujarat’s way.

Sophie Devine into the act with a brilliant cut short as the ball races away through the backward point region for a boundary. RCB is in a hurry to finish the run chase as Smriti hits her fourth boundary. The skipper is leading from the front.

Smriti Mandhana gets off the mark with a couple of boundaries: a drive through the covers and then a pull to the deep mid-wicket to get the run chase going. The third boundary came with another pull over the backward square leg region, and Bangalore is up and running in this run chase. 

A drop catch, a missed run-out, and it’s all chaos in the final delivery. Gujarat posts 107, and RCB will fancy its chances to chase down the total. 

Finally a maximum! A bit of room, and Hemalatha dispatches Molineux for a 72-metre six. However, the bowler has the last laugh as Sneh Rana falls while trying to go over the top, only to get stumped.

A direct-hit and a dropped catch. Nevertheless, RCB is still in command, with the crowd chanting RCB, RCB... 

Sophie Molineux joins the party as the left-arm spinner cleans up Bryce and picks her second wicket. Gujarat continues to falter.

Ashleigh Gardner falls and Georgia Wareham strikes, with Smriti Mandhana taking a cool catch at etra cover. Gardner had to go for the big hit but perished in the process. Top stuff from RCB

The Bangalore bowlers have suffocated the Gujarat batters, and they have the match in control. There hasn’t been a good productive shot from the Gujarat batswomen, and with just five overs, they need some fireworks.

Runs are coming in edges, and Gujarat will take that as Hemalatha pockets a boundary to keep the scorecard ticking. 

The red and black brigade has fantastic home support, and Gujarat is lacking the application and the audacity to take on the Bangalore bowlers. It’s like a Test match at the Chinnaswamy!

Asha Sobhana drops Dayalan Hemalatha in what seemed like a tough caught and bowled chance, but RCB is calling the shots at the moment. 

Poor shot from Veda as she hits straight to the fielder in the deep as Gujarat slips further. First Veda departs, and then Harleen gets in a horrible mix-up to leave the side four down. Poor batting approach from Gujarat. 

Asha Sobhana, who picked up a five-wicket haul in the last outing, is into the attack, and Gujarat is under a lot of pressure. The boundaries have dried up, and the runs aren’t coming easily. Umpire Mohamed Rafi is on the line of fire with another wrong call as he gave Veda out when there was a clear inside edge. The leg-spinner starts well giving just one run. 

Sophie Molineux into the attack, and the left-arm spinner bowls a decent over, giving just three runs. Gujarat needs to accelerate with Veda and a set Harleen in the middle.

Ellyse Perry thought she had dismissed Veda Krishnamurthy, but there was a glaring error from the on-field umpire as there was no bat involved. Good review from Veda, as the ball clearly missed the bat and brushed her pads en route to the keeper. 

Richa Ghosh with a brilliant stumping packed off Phoebe Litchfield, and it was a brilliant piece of keeping, evoking memories of MS Dhoni. Smart call as Litchfield was caught on the line, while trying to press for a forward defence that she missed, and it was actually a smart call to stand up to the stumps with Renuka Singh in operation. Excellent presence of mind and the hands coming into play at the last minute to brush the bails. Top stuff, and it was a really close one. Veda Krishnamurthy is in the middle. 

The first change in bowling as Shreyanka Patil comes into the attack. Harleen and Litchfield break away from the shackles with a couple of boundaries and the partnership is just starting to build. The Powerplay, however, belongs to RCB.

Renuka Singh and Sophie Devine have tied down the Gujarat batswomen, and it’s been a struggle for Phoebe Litchfield and Harleen Deol, who aren’t able to find the boundaries. The last five overs have yielded just 16 runs, and they have lost a wicket.

Sophie Devine continues with her impressive spell, and the dot balls have already started to build the pressure on Gujarat. There is a hint of swing, and there is bite from the surface with Devine hitting the hard lengths. 

Renuka Singh strikes and provides the breakthrough for RCB as she breaches Mooney’s defence and bowls right through the gate. Gujarat’s lack of capitalising in the Powerplay continues, and this is a fine start for the home side.

Sophie Devine and her experience come into play as RCB reviews a wide decision, and it wasn’t as the ball brushed the pad of Harleen Deol. Excellent review as the Smriti Mandhana-led side eyes to make an early breakthrough. 

Beth Mooney gets going with a lovely boundary as the ball rolls through the green carpet, and Gujarat is off the mark. Renuka goes full, and Mooney drives through the point region, and there was no stopping for that shot.

Renuka Singh has the new ball, and she will blend in the experience with 105 matches under her belt. Harleen Deol and Beth Mooney will look to get off to a good start.

Beth Mooney(w/c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Harleen Deol, Phoebe Litchfield, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner, Kathryn Bryce, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Lea Tahuhu, Meghna Singh

Sophie Devine, Smriti Mandhana(c), Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh(w), Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil, Simran Bahadur, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Thakur Singh

Royal Challengers Bangalore women won the toss and have opted to field

The crowd is building up slowly. The home team enjoys loud chants of RCB...RCB. I can hardly pick any Gujarat Giants supporters in the stands.

Using the same strip as yesterday. Pitch no. 9. The off-side boundary is significantly shorter than leg-side 

Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, S Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Simran Bahadur, S Asha, Renuka Thakur

The WPL 2024 matches will be broadcasted on the Sports18 Network and Jio Cinema App

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Gujarat Giants Squad: Beth Mooney(w/c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Harleen Deol, Phoebe Litchfield, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner, Kathryn Bryce, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Lea Tahuhu, Meghna Singh, Laura Wolvaardt, Tarannum Pathan, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Md Shakil, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Trisha Poojitha

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women Squad: Sophie Devine, Smriti Mandhana(c), Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh(w), Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil, Simran Bahadur, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Thakur Singh, Indrani Roy, Shubha Satheesh, Shraddha Pokharkar, Disha Kasat, Nadine de Klerk, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht