WPL 2024: Richa’s 50 goes in vain as Delhi Capitals clinch 1-run win over RCB

NEW DELHI: Richa Ghosh’s 51-run knock went in vain as Delhi Capitals (DC) sealed a one-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 17th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday.

While chasing 182 run target, RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana (5 runs from 7 balls) and Aussie batter Sophie Molineux (33 runs from 30 balls) came to the crease. However, they failed to give the Bengaluru-based franchise a good start in the game as Mandhana departed for just five runs. RCB were 9/1 in 1.3 overs.

But Ellyse Perry (49 runs from 32 balls) took things in control with her blitz knock, but it was enough to take RCB to a better position. Perry smashed 7 fours and 1 six during her time on the crease. She partnered with Sophie, taking RCB to 89 in 11 overs before she was dismissed via a run out. Sophie was also dismissed by Arundhati Reddy, reducing RCB to 93/3 in 11.5 overs.

After Perry’s dismissal, Richa started smashing and claimed her half-century in just 29 balls. The Indian wicketkeeper batter smashed 4 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 175.86. She partnered with Sophie Devine (26 in 16 balls, with a four and two sixes) and Georgia Wareham (12 in six balls) taking RCB near an incredible win. When Sophie and Georgia were dismissed, RCB was 165/5 in 19 overs, left with 17 to make in final over.

Richa gave RCB a chance to stay afloat with two sixes. But needing two runs on final ball, she was run out and RCB missed out by a run.

On the other hand, the Delhi-based franchise displayed a stupendous performance with the ball. Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Shikha Pandey, and Arundhati Reddy bagged one wicket each in their respective spells and helped DC clinch a 1-run win over RCB.

Earlier, in the first inning, Shreyanka Patil was the star bowler for RCB as she dismantled DC’s batting lineup with a figure of 4-26. For DC Rodrigues and Capsey played crucial knocks with their 58 and 48 respectively.

Opting to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a blistering start as the openers Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma smacked every loss opportunity they received, taking their team’s total beyond the 50-run mark in 5 overs. Lanning then hammered Renuka Thakur Singh for four boundaries, gathering 20 runs.

In the 7th over Asha Sobhana provided her team with a big breakthrough as she removed Shafali for 23 in 18 balls, with three fours and a six. In the next over DC suffered another blow as captain Lanning went back to the pavilion after scoring 29 runs in 26 balls with five fours. DC was 60/2 in 7.4 overs.

The right-handed batter Jemimah Rodrigues along with Alice Capsey then handled the charge as the duo kept the scoreboard ticking for DC. Rodrigues then smoked Sophie Molineux for three boundaries, gathering 15 runs. The duo kept the scoreboard ticking for Delhi while hammering RCB bowlers all around the ground.

Jemimah in red-hot form brought up her half-century in the 14th over of the game. In the 17th over of the match, Capsey slammed Asha Sobhana for back-to-back two boundaries, gathering 11 runs.

Jemimah’s stay at the crease was cut short as she was removed by Shreyanka Patil for 58 runs in 36 balls, with eight fours and a six. DC was 157/3 in 17.5 overs and the 97-run partnership was over. Marizanne Kapp then joined the hitter’s party and the batter opened her tally with a six off Molineux in the 19th over. The right-hander Capsey kept the momentum going for Delhi however Shreyanka Patil delivered one of the stunning deliveries of the innings to remove the well-set batter for 48 in 32 balls, with eight fours. DC was 176/4 in 19.1 overs.

In the last over Shreyanka derailed Delhi’s brisk charge as she sent Jess Jonassen packing in the same over and restricted the home team to 181/5 in 20 overs.

Brief score: Delhi Capitals 181/5 (Jemimah Rodrigues 58, Alice Capsey 48; Shreyanka Patil 4-26) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore 180/7 (Richa Ghosh 51, Ellyse Perry 49; Marizanne Kapp 1/30). (ANI)