WPL 2024: Royal Challengers eyes win against Capitals to keep playoff hopes alive

Women’s Premier League 2024: For the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the problems are heavier with the ball. Its 19-run loss to the Gujarat Giants exposed its bowling weaknesses for all to see.

RCB-W’s Smriti Mandhana, and Ellyse Perry, during the Women’s Premier League 2024. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/The Hindu

That one-run coup that UP Warriorz managed against the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Friday will give the latter’s next opponent, Royal Challengers Bangalore, a lot of courage. After all, RCB comes into the blockbuster clash against the host side standing on thin ice in the tournament at the moment. 

DC currently stands second in the standings with a win against RCB, only confirming its spot in the top three and pumping its chances to directly advance to the final. RCB, on the other hand, finds UP Warriorz breathing down its neck for a spot in the playoff bracket.

Jonathan Batty insisted on viewing the bottle job against the Warriorz as a blip in the larger scheme of things, and the side will hope that’s the case. The games at the Kotla have increasingly gotten more dramatic as the fixtures roll in, and Meg Lanning and Co. will hope to see off this clash against Smriti Mandhana’s Royal Challengers with as little drama as possible. 

Delhi Capitals’ skipper Meg Lanning is the orang cap holder at the moment. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/The Hindu

Openers Lanning and Shafali Verma and Alice Capsey, who follow right after, are the most important cogs in the DC batting wheel. While it was the middle and lower order that crashed like ninepins in the game against UP Warriorz, an implosion much like India’s loss in the 2017 ODI World Cup against England, these established names higher up will have to ensure big hitting duties stay with them. 

Annabel Sutherland, one of the most expensive buys in the tournament, has had a quiet season so far with bat and ball. She might make way for Marizanne Kapp, as DC could potentially opt to be full-strength against a star-studded RCB side. 

For the Royal Challengers, the problems are heavier with the ball. Its 19-run loss to the Gujarat Giants exposed its bowling weaknesses for all to see, with the outfit struggling to take wickets in key periods and allowing batters to score without risk. An underperforming Sophie Devine, who was key with bat and ball last season, is hurting the side. RCB might consider giving Kate Cross, who has had success with the ball in India before with the English national side, a run. 

This Sunday clash is believed to be sold out, with Delhi seeing some of the biggest names in international cricket lock horns. On largely flat surfaces in the national capital, one has to wait and see if RCB emerges with a chance to advance in this competition.