MUMBAI: All-round performance by Amelia Kerr and a superb show by bowlers helped Mumbai Indians clinch a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their final league stage game of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.
With this, Mumbai Indians have gone back to the top spot with six wins and two losses and a total of 12 points. RCB finished their campaign with two wins, six losses and four points. They finished at the fourth position on the table.
Chasing 126, Mumbai Indians were off to a good start. The second over bowled by Sophie Devine was expensive and it gave away 17 runs.
Yastika smashed Ellyse Perry for three fours in the fifth over.
Yastika was dismissed by Shreyanka Patil on the final ball of the powerplay. She was dismissed for 30, which came of 26 balls, after being caught by Smriti Mandhana at mid-on. MI was 53/1 at this stage.
In the eighth over of the innings, Hayley Matthews was dismissed by Megan Schutt for 24. Mandhana took her second catch of the match. The score now read 62/2 in 7.1 overs.
Asha Shobana and Ellyse Perry took two more wickets to bring RCB back into the game and MI was reduced to 73/4 in 9.1 overs.
At the end of 10 overs, MI was at 79/4, with Amelia Kerr (5*) and Pooja Vastrakar (1*) unbeaten.
The duo started to build a partnership that revived MI’s run chase after some quick wickets.
MI touched the 100-run mark in 13.1 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, MI was 115/4, with Kerr (25*) and Vastrakar (17*) unbeaten at the crease. They needed just 11 runs more to win.
Kanika Ahuja broke the 47-run stand between Vastrakar and Kerr, dismissing the former for 19. MI team was now 120/5 in 16 overs.
MI then quickly made the remaining runs finishing at 129/6 in 16.3 overs. Amelia Kerr stayed unbeaten at 31 of 27 balls with four boundaries. Amanjot Kaur (0*) was also unbeaten.
Kanika was the pick of the bowlers for RCB, picking 2/5 in one over. Schutt, Shreyanka, Perry and Shobana got one wicket each.
Earlier, tight spells from all-rounders Amelia Kerr and Nat Sciver Brunt helped Mumbai Indians restrict Royal Challengers Bangalore to 125/9 in 20 overs.
After being put to bat first by Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was dealt a heavy blow after in-form Sophie Devine, who scored a match-winning 99 of 36 balls against Gujarat Giants in their last game, was run out for a duck by Humaira Kazi and Yastika Bhatia. RCB was 1/1 in 0.3 overs.
After that, the duo of Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry started to rebuild the innings. Mandhana hit some good shots. Perry played the anchor role, allowing Smriti to play with freedom.
At the end of the six overs of the powerplay, RCB was at 32/1, with Perry (7*) and Mandhana (24*) unbeaten at the crease.
Immediately after the powerplay, Amelia Kerr struck, dismissing Mandhana for 24, which came off 25 balls. RCB was reduced to 33/2. RCB crossed the 50-run mark in 9.4 overs.
Halfway through the innings, RCB was at 56/2, with Perry (20*) and Heather Knight (11*) unbeaten at the crease.
Amelia got her second wicket, after dismissing Knight for 12, made from 13 balls. RCB was 59/3 in 11 overs. Kerr continued to dominate the RCB batting line-up, getting Kanika Ahuja for 12 runs after she was stumped by Yastika. RCB was reduced to 78/4 in 14.4 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, RCB was 79/4, with Perry (28*) and Richa (1*) unbeaten at the crease.
Richa Ghosh tried to up the ante by hitting Wong for a four and six in the next over.
MI bowlers to continue exerting pressure on RCB batters. Nat Sciver Brunt took two wickets, dismissing Perry for 29 (38 balls) and Shryenka Patil for four runs. RCB sunk to 95/6 in 16.4 overs.
RCB touched the 100-run mark in 17 overs.
Saika Ishaque trapped Megan Schutt leg before wicket for two, reducing RCB to 108/7 in 17.5 overs.
Richa Ghosh departed for 29 (13 balls). Her cameo consisted of three fours and two sixes and was put to an end by Wong through Amelia’s safe hands.
RCB was 119/8 in 19.1 overs. Wong also castled Disha Kasat on the final ball of the innings for just two runs.
RCB finished their 20 overs at 125/9.
Amelia was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/22 in her four overs. Nat Sciver (2/24) and Wong (2/26) took two wickets each. Saika got one wicket.
Brief Scores: RCB: 125/9 (Ellyse Perry 29, Richa Ghosh 29, Amelia Kerr 3/22) lost to MI: 129/6 in 16.3 overs (Amelia Kerr 31, Yastika Bhatia 30, Kanika Ahuja 2/5). (ANI)