NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Smriti Mandhana won the toss and chose to bowl first during her side’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) season two match against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at Delhi on Tuesday.
This match is important for RCB from playoffs qualification standpoint. Currently at the third spot in the points table with three wins and four losses, RCB will move to playoffs and play the eliminator game if they win this match. Or else, they will have to battle it out in terms of net run rate with UP Warriorz, who are on six points as well currently like RCB and Gujarat Giants, currently at four points with a game to go, for the final playoff spot. MI and Delhi Capitals have already qualified for playoffs.
RCB skipper Mandhana said at the toss, “We would like to field first. It is a fresh wicket. It will be good to know what the total we are chasing. It (the one-run loss against DC) was hard, but the way we played, one run does not define us. We played some good cricket. We have to be good in all three departments, that is going to be crucial. We are unchanged.”
MI skipper Harmanpreet said at the toss, “We wanted to bat. We wanted to see how it goes. It is a new day, new game, I have to start from ball one. It is an honour to have so many match-winners in the team. Yastika Bhatia is not well, Priyanka Bala is playing.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana(c), Sophie Molineux, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Richa Ghosh(w), Georgia Wareham, Disha Kasat, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Shraddha Pokharkar, Renuka Thakur Singh
Mumbai Indians Women (Playing XI): Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Priyanka Bala(w), Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Humaira Kazi, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque. (ANI)