The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season started off with a bang, as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pulled off the highest-ever successful run chase in the history of the tournament, against Gujarat Giants (GG). Chasing 202, RCB seemed to be staring at defeat before a thunderbolt partnership of 93 off just 37 balls between India stars Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja took them over the line with more than an over to spare. Wicket-keeper batter Richa slammed an astonishing 64 off just 27 balls, and earned comparisons from fans to legendary Indian men’s wicket-keeper batter MS Dhoni.
Coming in to bat with RCB requiring around 12 runs an over, Richa smashed four sixes and seven boundaries to take the reigning champions home.
Richa’s knock saw fans compare her to Dhoni, widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in white-ball cricket.
“Richa Ghosh just did a Dhoni… for RCB,” posted one user on X.
“Richa Ghosh is the mirror image of MS Dhoni,” said another fan.
“Richa’s WPL stats read 36/145 (average/strike rate), absolutely elite numbers for the role she’s playing. Some player…,” tweeted a third.
Richa Ghosh just did a Dhoni… for RCB pic.twitter.com/1ZcyrR0mMa
— yash. (@YaxhSinghTomar) February 14, 2025
Richa Ghosh is the mirror image of legend MS Dhoni https://t.co/15mzyKFBv6
— MOHAMMADUL ISLAM (@786MOHAMMADUL) February 14, 2025
Like this tweet if you think Richa Ghosh is a better finisher than MS Dhoni. https://t.co/HfogSMCgCO
— (@Jalebi_fafda__) February 14, 2025
Richa in the WPL stats read 36/145, absolutely elite numbers for the role she’s playing. Some player..
— Prashanth (@ps_it_is) February 14, 2025
Richa’s similarities to Dhoni are uncanny. Both hail from the eastern side of India (Richa from Siliguri, West Bengal; Dhoni from Ranchi, Jharkhand), and have built a reputation of being middle-order power-hitters with the ability to finish off games.
Richa was dropped first ball by Gujarat player Simran Shaikh, and was only on 15 runs after her first 12 balls. However, from there on, Richa went berserk, helping her team cross the line with nine balls to spare.
Still only 21, Richa had hit 257 runs at a strike rate of 142 as RCB lifted the title in 2024. If the first game of 2025 is anything to go by, she will well surpass that effort this time around.
Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: As it happened
A scintillating knock of 79 off 37 by captain Ashleigh Gardner had helped Gujarat post a daunting 201 on the board.
Fellow Australian Ellyse Perry set the foundation for the chase with a 34-ball 57. But when she got out, RCB still needed 93 more to win.
Richa’s knock was ably supported by Kanika Ahuja, who aced four boundaries in a knock of 30 off just 13 balls. Their partnership was scored at a run rate of 15.08 per over, the second-fastest partnership of 50 runs or beyond in WPL history.
RCB next take on Delhi Capitals in WPL 2025, on February 17.
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