Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a dominant eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in their Women’s Premier League (WPL) match at Vadodara, riding on the outstanding performances from Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, and captain Smriti Mandhana. Former Indian captain Mithali Raj lauded RCB’s performance, highlighting the team’s control from the very first over. With this win, RCB has two wins in two matches and is at the top of the table. DC is in the third spot, with a win and loss each.

“Right from the first over when Renuka Singh dismissed Shafali Varma, RCB took control of the game. From that moment on, Smriti Mandhana has not put a foot wrong. Every bowling change she made resulted in a breakthrough. The way she led the innings, along with Danni Wyatt, provided a strong foundation for their batting line-up,” Raj said on JioHotstar.

After RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first, they were off a fine start as dangerous Shafali Varma gave a simple catch to Smriti Mandhana at mid-off on a Renuka Singh delivery on the very first ball of the innings.

Following this early setback, Jemimah Rodrigues joined her skipper Meg Lanning for a rebuild. Rodrigues pressed the acceleration in the button against Ekta Bisht and Joshitha, collecting some fours and sixes.

DC reached the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs, thanks to a six by Rodrigues.

The 60-run stand between the duo broke as Georgia Wareham got Jemimah stumped by Richa Ghosh for 34 in 22 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. DC was 60/2 in 6.5 overs. Kim Garth also removed Lanning for 17 in 19 balls, with three fours. DC was 62/3 in 7.3 overs.

Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp took DC to 83/3 in 10 overs, with Sutherland (19*) and Kapp (4*) unbeaten. However, after the fall of Sutherland for 19 in 13 balls to Renuka thanks to a sharp catch by Smriti at extra cover, it was all downhill for DC. DC were restricted to 84/4 in 10.2 overs.

After that, DC had no big partnerships, though Sarah Bryce (23 in 19 balls, with two fours) and Shikha Pandey (14 in 15 balls, with a four) tried to put up a fight.

Wareham, Garth Renuka and Ekta Bisht tore apart the DC batting line-up, cleaning it up for 141 runs in 19.3 overs.

Renuka (3/23) and Wareham (3/25) were the pick of the bowlers for RCB, dismantling DC with their deadly mix of pace and spin. Garth (2/19) and Bisht (2/35) played a good supporting cast as well.

During the run-chase of 142 runs, openers skipper Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt Hodge gave a fine start to their team.

Mandhana set the tone for the innings with two boundaries against Kapp in the opening over, followed by Minnu Mani in the third over.

Hodge picked up as the powerplay’s end came closer, hitting Shikha Pandey for two fours.RCB reached the 50-run mark in 5.1 overs, thanks to a four by Danni over short third man.

At the end of powerplay, RCB was 57/0, with Mandhana (32*) and Danni (22*) unbeaten.

Mandhana had her foot on the accelerator, finding boundaries against Jess Jonassen, Sutherland.

The left-hander reached her half-century in 27 balls, with eight fours and a six.

With the help of a fine boundary by Danni through deep cover, RCB reached the 100-run mark in 10 overs.

The 107-run opening stand between Mandhana and Hodge was ended by Arundhati Reddy, removing Wyatt for 42 in 33 balls, with seven fours. Rodrigues took a fine catch at deep cover. RCB was 107/1 in 10.5 overs.

Mandhana’s bat kept delivering blows after the partnership broke, taking RCB to a brink of a victory. Jonassen and Sutherland were getting pummeled. Shikha ended Mandhana’s stay at 81 in 47 balls (with 10 fours and three sixes) thanks to a catch by Arundhati. RCB was 133/2 in 15.1 overs.

Richa finished off things in style with a six, with score of 146/2 in 16.1 overs, with Richa (11*) and Ellyse Perry (7*) unbeaten. Arundhati and Shikha took a wicket each for DC.

With this victory, RCB showcased their strength in both bowling and batting, reinforcing their position as strong contenders in the tournament.

Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Saturday. The match witnessed some electrifying moments, with Shafali Verma’s aggressive innings at the top. Former India captain Mithali Raj, speaking on JioHotstar, lauded Shafali’s fearless approach. “I think anyone stepping into Shafali Verma’s shoes would acknowledge how she has never shown a defensive approach. Right from the second ball, she started scoring runs, playing her shots with her usual flair. That’s just her style,” she said, as quoted from a release by JioHotstar.

Shafali’s knock kept DC in the hunt, but her dismissal turned out to be a turning point in the contest.

Analyzing her wicket, Mithali added, “The only way to dismiss her today was to outthink her, and I understand that feeling because I’ve been in that situation myself. At one point, she had too much time and wasn’t sure where to place the ball. Just before her dismissal, the fielding side adjusted their setup, bringing mid-on up and pushing deep square leg back because she had found boundaries there. She instinctively aimed to clear mid-on but ended up playing into the fielder’s hands, resulting in a crucial wicket.”

Coming to the match, chasing 165, DC was left 109/5 in 14.5 overs despite a fine 60-run opening stand. However, Niki Prasad and Sarah took down the equation to 10 runs off the last over despite wickets falling at other end. With two runs needed on final ball, the pair of Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav completed a risky double and it was worth all the toil.

After Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl first, they were off to a fine start as a low grab by skipper Meg Lanning on a Shikha Pandey delivery sent Hayley Matthews packing for a duck on the second ball. MI was 0/1.

In the next over, Alice Capsey gave away 19 runs, including five runs after a four on wide, two fours from Yastika Bhatia and one boundary from Nat-Sciver Brunt.

Shikha got her second wicket in the fifth over, beating Yastika’s stumps as she was gone for 11 in nine balls. MI was 32/2 in 4.2 overs.

At the end of powerplay, MI was 41/2 in six overs, with Brunt (22*) joined by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (2*) unbeaten.

With a four by Brunt, MI reached the 50-run mark in 7.1 overs. In the same over, she and Kaur hit Radha for a four and six more, looting 18 runs in total.

The duo kept the run-rate up and brought up their 50-run stand in 30 balls. In 10 overs, MI were 87/2, with Brunt (45*) and Kaur (24*) unbeaten.

In the 11th over, Kaur went on a blitz against Annabel Sutherland, smashing her for three fours and a six before debutant Niki Prasad caught her, sending her back for 42 in 22 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. MI was 105/3 in 10.5 overs.

Sciver Brunt reached her fourth WPL fifty in 36 balls, with nine fours. But after that, there was one wicket falling per over from overs 14-16, leaving MI struggling at 146/6. Amelia Kerr, S Sajana and Amanjot Kaur went back to the pavilion for single digits.

Sciver held the innings together, helping MI reach the 150-run mark in 16.5 overs.MI continued their implosion towards the end, bundling out for 164 runs in 19.1 overs. Brunt was the top-scorer, with 80* in 59 balls, with 13 fours.

Sutherland (3/34) was the top bowler for DC. Shikha got two while Minnu Mani and Capsey got one each.

During the run-chase of 165, Delhi was off to a fine start as Shafali Varma looted 22 runs in the second over bowled by Saika Ishaque, including four boundaries and a six.

In the sixth over, Shafali launched Matthews for two successive fours, bringing up the 50-run mark in 5.1 overs and a six. However, a fine catch at short mid-wicket from Amanjot meant the bowler had the last laugh. Shafali was gone for 43 in 18 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. DC was 60/1 in 5.5 overs.

In the next over, Lanning’s knock of 15 in 19 balls, with three fours was ended by Shabnim Ismail as she castled her stumps. DC was 60/2 in 6.1 overs.

All-rounders Amelia and Sciver got Jemimah Rodrigues (2) and Annabel Sutherland (13) in quick succession, derailing DC’s chase, and sinking them to 76/4 in 8.5 overs.

At the end of 10 overs, DC were 83/4, with Capsey (3*) and Prasad (5*) unbeaten.DC reached the 100-run mark in 13 overs, with the help of a four by Niki.

An attempted loft by Capsey went into hands of Ismail at long-on, removing her at the hands of Amelia for 16 in 18 balls. DC was 109/5 in 14.5 overs.

Some hits by Prasad and Sarah Bryce helped DC bring down the equation to 21 in two overs, but Mathews had removed Bryce for 21 in 12 balls, with two fours and a six.

The 19th over was a thrilling one. While Shikha was run out for three, Radha Yadav tonked the final ball for a six, bringing down the equation to 10 runs in the last over.

The final over started with Niki hitting a boundary. But the dismissal of Niki on the second-last ball for 35 in 33 balls, with four boundaries, left DC with two to get on the final ball.DC chased down the total on the last ball, with Arundhati Reddy (2*) and Radha Yadav (9*) completing a risky double.

Amelia (2/21) and Mathews (2/32) were top wicket-takers for MI. Ismail, Sciver and Sajana got one each.

Former India cricketer Mithali Raj praised Richa Ghosh’s stunning knock against Gujarat Giants (GG) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season opener and said that the 21-year-old played a blinder for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday. A half-century by Ellyse Perry and audacious ball-striking in death overs by half-centurion Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja helped defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) kickstart their Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign with a massive six-wicket win in Vadodara on Friday.

Speaking to JioHotstar, Mithali said that Richa provided solid support to Kanika Ahuja during the run chase. The former cricketer added that hailed both Kanika and Richa, saying the two youngsters played “outstanding innings”.

“When Richa Ghosh came in, she had just lost Ellyse Perry, and with Kanika Ahuja at the crease, both were new batters. They had to rebuild, especially with the asking rate over 12 runs per over. Richa Ghosh provided solid support to Kanika, who may not have hit big shots but still maintained a strike rate of over 200 with well-placed boundaries. That, in turn, allowed Richa to play her natural attacking game. We’ve seen her deliver impactful knocks for India, and today, she played a blinder for RCB, steering them to victory. Both Kanika and Richa played outstanding innings,” Mithali Raj was quoted in a release from JioHotstar as saying.

RCB won the toss and elected to field first. After being put to bat first, GG’s opening pair of Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt took their time in picking up speed, with Mooney hitting some boundaries. However, Laura was cleaned up by Renuka Thakur for 6 (10 balls, with one four) by Renuka Singh.

It was captain Ashleigh Gardner’s unbeaten 79-run knock and Mooney’s 56 runs from 42 balls, which powered the Gujarat-based franchise to 201/5 in the first inning.

Renuka was the pick of the bowlers, conceding just 25 runs and getting two wickets. Kanika, Wareham and Prerna got one wicket each.

During the run-chase of 202, RCB openers Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge started with three fours in the first over, but Gardner pushed them back by removing both the openers in the next over.

Later in the second inning, Ellyse Perry (57), Richa Ghosh (64*) and Kanika Ahuja (30*) played a stupendous knock and chased down the target in just 18.3 overs, helping RCB clinch a 6-wicket triumph on Friday.

Gardner led the Giants’ bowling attack with her two wickets.

Richa Ghosh was named the ‘Player of the Match’ following her magnificent knock.

Charismatic India batter Smriti Mandhana finally played a knock befitting her calibre as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the deciding game to seal the three-match Women’s ODI series 2-1 on Tuesday. Mandhana (100 off 122 balls), who wasn’t able to showcase her class at the top of the order in the two previous games, made her 8th ODI hundred century, the most by an Indian in the forma. India coasted to the 233 run target in 44.2 overs. New Zealand had recovered to reach 232 for five from a precarious 88/5 courtesy Brooke Halliday (86 off 96 deliveries).

Coming into the decider, Mandhana had only scored five runs in the two previous games and was even off coloured in the preceding T20 World Cup, but her 123-ball stay at the crease, and her 118-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (59 not out off 63) formed the cornerstone of the easy win.

Mandhana lost opening partner Shafali Verma (12) early but wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia (35) played an ideal foil for the senior teammate as they stitched together a 76-run partnership.

Yastika departed trying to play a fuller ball outside off but ended up giving a return catch to New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine. Her departure brought Harmanpreet to the crease and the partnership with Mandhana flourished, with the latter smashing 10 boundaries.

By the time Mandhana departed on 209, bowled by right-arm pacer Hannah Rowe in the 41st over, she had virtually accomplished the task for India.

Earlier, New Zealand middle-order batter Halliday struck a 96-ball 86 and lifted New Zealand to a fighting total.

To start with, the Indian bowlers fired in unison and had the visitors in all sorts of trouble with their disciplined line and length.

Looking to win the series and regain some lost ground after their early exit in the T20 World Cup, India began the match in earnest and struck twice to leave the Kiwis at 25 for two in 7.1 overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues and wicket-keeper Yastika combined to run out Suzie Bates while Lauren Down was jettisoned by Saima Thakor at the start of eighth over.

Introduced in the 11th over, young leg-spinner Priya Mishra (2/41 in 10 overs) gave India a major breakthrough when she bowled New Zealand captain Sophie Devine (9 off 11 balls), leaving the visitors in a spot of bother 36 for three.

New Zealand’s hopes of putting up a competitive score rested on the shoulders of Georgia Plimmer, who dropped anchor considering the situation her team found itself in.

However, having ambled to 39, Plimmer was dismissed by Mishra, and her innings lasted 67 balls. Maddy Green was run out for a 15-ball 19 as New Zealand slipped to 88 for five in the 24th over.

In search for a partnership, the Kiwis finally found some flow to their innings with Halliday and wicketkeeper batter Isabella Gaze (25 off 49 balls) adding 64 runs for the sixth wicket.

Women’s T20 World Cup: Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodigues© AFP

Former India captain Mithali Raj on Tuesday attributed the national team’s underwhelming performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup to lack of growth across departments over the past three years. It was the first time under Harmanpreet Kaur’s long captaincy tenure that India failed to qualify for the knockouts of the ICC showpiece, extending the team’s title-less run in world events and putting serious question marks over her future as skipper. Speaking to PTI from Dubai, Mithali said the team’s downfall was a result of not getting used to the conditions in the UAE quick enough, lack of role clarity in the batting department, untested bench strength, and below-par fielding.

Excerpts from the interview: 

How would you assess India’s performance in the tournament? 

If I talk about the Australia game, it was a match to win. I thought at some point we had a chance but it seemed like we are following the same template against Australia. Taking the match deep but falling short eventually. It’s not working.

I feel that in the last two, three years, I’ve not really seen any growth in this team, in the sense like, I mean, beating the best side is what you always prepare for but it seems like we are saturated in the sense we are beating other teams and we are pretty happy in that. Every other team has shown growth despite limited depth, a case in point being South Africa. We have not.

Do you think the loss to New Zealand hurt the team more compared to the defeat against Australia?

Surprisingly, we took time to adjust to the slowness of the wicket. Unlike an ODI World Cup, it is a short tournament, you don’t have a lot of time to adjust to the conditions. Someone like Sophie Devine was able to score that many runs against us and she is not used to playing on slow tracks. We were not quick enough to adjust.

Considering the frequent changes in the batting order (Harmanpreet and Jemimah juggled between number 3 and 4), would it be fair to say there was lack of role clarity in that department?

We expect the openers to do well, we always expect Shafali to go big. But things have changed over the years. If both the openers go well, then we always get stuck in middle overs. That has been our story.

And then we try and make up in the end. The the power play and the death overs is where we do well, but in the middle overs, we’ve not found ways to get better.

I was doing commentary in the Asia Cup. To be very honest, I didn’t know that, what was happening. I’m sure they were aware that Asia Cup is the last series of matches that they’re going to play before the World Cup.

When you know that this is the last game time that you’re going to have before you enter the big tournament you do at least 70 percent of your planning or 80% of your planning.

Like who your number 5 and number 6 is, these are people who would walk in a particular situation. But there it seemed they were playing only for that tournament. It didn’t seem like it was anywhere closer to… what we got to see in the World Cup.

We could have given more opportunities to the bench against lower-ranked teams in Asia Cup but we didn’t. Why does the men’s team do well? Because, immediately after a big series or a big tournament, they’re trying others. If we are talking about depth then when are we giving them chances?

A lot of work was done in the fielding department ahead of the World Cup but it did not produce the desired results. Would you agree? 

Against Australia, I was very disappointed to see, other than Radha Yadav and Jemi to some extent, I don’t think there was anybody. So we cannot have just two players out of eleven being good.

In terms of fitness, we need to have a benchmark. Honestly, how much can you work in a month? It’s something that you do around the year. It’s not like just before the tournament, you have a camp and it’s just going to really show the difference on the field.

Harmanpreet Kaur has captained India in T20 World Cups since 2018 but the results have not come. Should the selectors move on from her and appoint someone younger? 

If the selectors decide to change, I would go for a young captain. This is the time (to change) if you delay more then we have another World Cup on the horizon. If you are not doing now, then don’t do it later. Then it is too close to the World Cup.

Smriti is there (has been vice-captain for long) but I think someone like Jemima, she’s 24, she’s young, she will serve you more. And someone who I feel on the field gets that energy. She speaks to everybody. I was very impressed by her in this tournament.

Despite playing those cameo roles, she never could convert her starts, but someone who really made an effort to build a momentum if there was no momentum, and if there was a momentum, she tried to carry that momentum. 

Former captain Mithali Raj reckons that India will enjoy a significant edge over other teams, as the conditions in the UAE resemble those found on home soil. The women’s T20 World Cup is set to be played in the UAE — Dubai and Sharjah — from October 3. The ICC moved marquee event from Bangladesh owing to the political unrest in that nation. “The UAE is, again, in very similar conditions, so we can say that, you know, our team has the advantage,” Mithali told Star sports.

However, the former batter warned against complacency, emphasising that every team will arrive fully prepared for showpiece event.

“But again, the World Cup means every team comes well prepared,” she added.

Despite reaching the finals of ICC events, including a couple of senior World Cups, the Indian women’s team is yet to grab its maiden global title.

“The Indian women’s team, so far, hasn’t won, other than the Under-19 World Cup,” Mithali said.

“I think I will definitely want the team to do well because, like everybody else, when we get into the World Cup, we want our team to win.” “As a broadcaster, I think I’ve just done the first stint for women’s cricket in the Asia Cup, and India lost the Asia Cup. I don’t know whether that’s lucky or not in that way!” she added.

India will open their campaign against New Zealand on October 4 in Dubai.

Harmanpreet and Co have been clubbed alongside Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Group A.

It was Smriti Mandhana‘s day in the 2nd ODI against South Africa in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The star India batter entered the history books by equalling former women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj‘s all-time Indian record for the most centuries in women’s ODIs. Mandhana’s brilliant knock of 136 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium against South Africa Women in the second ODI was her seventh ODI century, bringing her level with the legendary Raj. Along with Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur also scored a ton as India put up 325/3 in 50 overs. 

Mandhan impressed with the ball too. Bowling for the first time in international cricket, Mandhana got South Africa’s Aune Luus caught behind. It was her first wicket in international cricket. The wicket was special in another ways as several social media use found her action similar to Virat Kohli. 

#INDvSA #IDFCFirstBankWomensODITrophy #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/kORVBL31Nw

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) June 19, 2024

Virat Kohli Smriti Mandhana.

– The No.18 connection! pic.twitter.com/SNqw6lgnyC

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 19, 2024

Virat Kohli Smriti Mandhana…!!! pic.twitter.com/dvuQDG0NPA

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 19, 2024

Following her century in the series opener, when she scored 117 runs, the flamboyant left-hander continued her superb form. Her back-to-back centuries made her the first Indian woman to achieve this feat in ODI cricket.

The match began with a cautious start for Mandhana, who was kept quiet by the South African bowlers during the first powerplay. India lost opener Shafali Verma early, leaving Mandhana to anchor the innings. She meticulously built her innings, reaching 19 off 40 balls before shifting gears to dominate the bowlers. Her composed approach paid off as she reached her century in just 103 balls, eventually scoring 136 off 120 balls.

Mandhana’s knock was adorned with 18 boundaries and two sixes, showcasing her ability to both accumulate and accelerate runs. Her efforts propelled India past the 200-run mark inside the 40th over, setting a strong foundation for a formidable total.

Supporting Mandhana at the other end was captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who also slammed an 87-ball century. The duo’s partnership was crucial in maintaining the momentum and putting pressure on the South African bowlers.

However, Mandhana was dismissed in the 46th over scoring 136 of 129 deliveries, attempting to hit Nonkululeko Mlaba over the cover region.

India posted a mammoth total of 325 for three in 50 overs with the help of centuries by Mandhana and skipper Kaur.

With IANS inputs

Smriti Mandhana after reaching her century in the 2nd women’s ODI vs South Africa.© BCCI/Sportzpics

File image of Smriti Mandhana.© X (Twitter)