Royal Challengers Bengaluru refused to throw in the towel in its quest to reach the IPL playoffs, beating Delhi Capitals by 47 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday.

In a must-win game for both sides, Faf du Plessis’ men defended a modest-looking 187 to record its fifth win on the trot and rise up to fifth in the table (12 points).

DC lost Impact Player David Warner early, but Jake Fraser-McGurk caned Mohammed Siraj for a six and two fours to commence the pursuit in fiery fashion.

But his run out at the non-striker’s end when the ball deflected off pacer Yash Dayal’s left-hand, a delivery after Abishek Porel had fallen, left DC reeling at 24 for three.

Shai Hope (29, 23b, 4×4) and stand-in skipper Axar Patel (57, 39b, 5×4, 3×6) tried to jump-start the chase, but the in-form Tristan Stubbs’ run out while going for a non-existent single meant Capitals’ playoffs chances took a massive hit.

Asked to bat first, RCB seemed set for a lot more, having scored 61 runs from the PowerPlay and being 110 for two after 10 overs. However, a lower middle-order collapse meant that the home side couldn’t build on the fine efforts from Virat Kohli (27, 13b, 1×4, 3×6), Will Jacks (41, 29b, 3×4, 2×6) and Rajat Patidar (52, 32b, 3×4, 3×6).

Kohli’s sizzling start

Kohli began imperiously, hitting Ishant Sharma for a six over mid-wicket and straight down the ground, and dispatching Khaleel Ahmed over the bowler’s head. Kohli and Ishant also indulged in some friendly banter, but it was the latter who had the last laugh, having Kohli caught behind.

Patidar and Jacks kept up the momentum, carting the spin duo of Axar and Kuldeep Yadav to all parts.

The visitors didn’t help themselves with some shoddy fielding.

In the ninth over, from Kuldeep, Axar dropped Jacks running back towards mid-on and Shai Hope grassed Patidar at long-on. In the 11th, Axar reprieved Patidar at cover off Rasikh Salam.

Oddly, the manic happenings disrupted RCB’s batting rhythm. Not a single six came from overs 10 to 16 and the dismissals of Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik and Swapnil Singh in a six-ball window robbed RCB of a strong finish. In the end, none of it mattered.

Scoreboard

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli c Abhishek Porel b Ishant 27 Faf du Plessis c Jake Fraser-McGurk b Mukesh Kumar 6 Will Jacks c Axar b Kuldeep Yadav 41 Rajat Patidar c Axar b Rasikh Salam 52 Cameron Green not out 32 Mahipal Lomror c Abishek Porel b Khaleel Ahmed 13 Dinesh Karthik c Kuldeep Yadav b Khaleel Ahmed 0 Swapnil Singh c Kushagra b Rasikh Salam 0 Karn Sharma run out (Shai Hope/Mukesh Kumar) 6 Mohammed Siraj run out (Mukesh Kumar) 0

Extras: (b-1, lb-2, w-7) 10

Total: (For 9 wickets, 20 Overs) 187

Fall of Wickets: 1-23, 2-36, 3-124, 4-137, 5-174, 6-174, 7-176, 8-185, 9-187

Bowling: Ishant Sharma 3-0-31-1, Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-31-2, Mukesh Kumar 3-0-23-1, Axar Patel 3-0-24-0, Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-52-1, Rasikh Dar Salam 3-0-23-2. c

Delhi Capitals: David Warner c Will Jacks b Swapnil Singh 12 Jake Fraser-McGurk run out 21 Abhishek Porel c Lockie Ferguson b Yash Dayal 2 Shai Hope c Karn Sharma b Lockie Ferguson 29 Kumar Kushagra lbw Siraj 2 Axar Patel c du Plessis b Yash Dayal 57 Tristan Stubbs run out 3 Rasikh Dar Salam c Will Jacks b Green 10 Kuldeep Yadav b Yash Daya 6 Mukesh Kumar c Lomror b Lockie Ferguson 3 Ishant Sharma not out 0

Extras: (lb-1, w-5) 6

Total: (All out in 19.1 Overs) 140

Fall of Wickets: 1-8, 2-24, 3-24, 4-30, 5-86, 6-90, 7-127, 8-128, 9-135.

Bowling: Swapnil Singh 1-0-9-1, Mohammed Siraj 4-0-33-1, Yash Dayal 3.1-0-20-3, Karn Sharma 2-0-19-0, Lockie Ferguson 4-0-23-2, Cameron Green 4-0-19-1, Will Jacks 1-0-16-0.

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Smriti Mandhana
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Smriti Mandhana’s self-belief wavered in pressure situations last year but this season she was able to conquer the demons in her mind when pushed against the wall, helping RCB land their first major title in franchise cricket.

Speaking to media after RCB beat Delhi Capitals in a low-scoring WPL final, Mandhana said she has matured as a captain and player since last season.

“One thing that I have learned is to believe in yourself. That was something which lacked in me last year when it did go wrong.

“I doubted a few things in myself but that was the real conversation with my mind, I need to keep trusting myself and I think that was the biggest learning for me,” said Mandhana on Sunday night.

The second season saw Mandhana getting her hands on the trophy while Harmanpreet Kaur had led Mumbai Indians to the title in the inaugural edition. That only shows the depth of Indian cricket, said Mandhana.

“Last year when MI and DC were playing in the final, somewhere deep down I hoped that Harman lifts it because the first edition of WPL and for an Indian captain to win, if not me it has to be Harman. So I was really happy for Harman and whole Mi team,” Mandhana said.

“Second season I became the second Indian captain to win. That really shows the kind of depth Indian cricket has and it’s just the start, we still have a long way to go.”

Kohli congratulates Mandhana and Co

Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who is back in India for the IPL, was quick to congratulate Mandhana and the team following the eight-wicket triumph.

“I didn’t hear anything what he (Kohli) was saying because it was too loud. He was just like thumbs up and I responded with thumbs up. He looked really, really happy, there was a bright smile,” she said referring to the video call with Kohli.

“I remember him coming last year, and talk which really helped me personally and also the whole team. He has been with the franchise almost for the last 15 years, so I could see the happiness on his face,” Mandhana said.

DC were going great guns after opting to bat, reaching 64 for no loss in seven overs before RCB spinners — Shreyanka Patil (4/12) and Sophie Molineux (3/20) pulled things back in middle overs to bowl their opponents out for 113.

Mandhana said staying calm in that pressure situation paid rich dividends.

“In the match today, 6 overs 60 runs, a few things didn’t go our way, a field settings which didn’t go our way but the only thing which stayed constant was the belief I have. I was not really panicked about it, I was calm today. I could have clear conversation with the bowlers.

“Sense of calmness since the eliminator. Today also we told each other not to worry and stick to our plans and not to complicate much. We didn’t want to be 20/3 or 4 while chasing 110 odd runs,” she said.

‘Shreyanka most complete cricketer I have seen in last two years’

Mandhana particularly reserved high praise for young Shreyanka Patil, who took four wickets in the final.

“Shreyanka has just been brilliant. The first 3-4 matches didn’t go her way. She came off a really tough zonal tournament. During a match there I remember having a chat with her when I said don’t worry 17th March you are going to do something special, little did I know that will happen and she will get the purple cap.

“I think she is the most complete player to come to international cricket in the last two years. She feels she belongs to international cricket,” she said.

Meanwhile, DC head coach Jonathan Batty felt they didn’t do justice with the bat, but still fought valiantly to take the match to the last over.

“We fought magnificently, bowled and fielded magnificently. The game to lose with only 3 balls to go was absolutely amazing.

“We didn’t do ourselves great justice with the bat that left us with a few runs short. We should have scored more after that fantastic start,” he said.