In a dominant display at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) crushed Gujarat Giants (GG) by 61 runs on Monday, securing their fifth consecutive victory in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). This emphatic win propelled RCB as the first team to qualify for the playoffs this season.
RCB, invited to bat first after losing the toss, stumbled early, losing two wickets for just nine runs. Captain Smriti Mandhana steadied the ship with a crucial 60-run partnership off 45 balls alongside Gautami Naik. Mandhana scored 26 off 23 balls before departing, setting the stage for Naik and Richa Ghosh to forge a 69-run stand off 45 balls.
Gautami Naik starred with a brilliant 73 off 55 balls, including seven fours and a six, while Ghosh contributed 27. The innings ended at 178 for six. For GG, Kashvee Gautam and Ashleigh Gardner claimed two wickets each, with Renuka Thakur and Sophie Devine taking one apiece.
Chasing 179, Gujarat Giants collapsed dramatically, slumping to 5 for three in no time. Anuska Sharma and skipper Gardner tried to resurrect with a 29-run fourth-wicket partnership, but Sharma’s dismissal for 18 triggered another collapse. GG were reeling at 56 for six.
Bharti Fulmali and Gardner then added 41 off 24 balls, with Gardner top-scoring with 54 off 43 balls (five fours, one six). Fulmali made 14, but it wasn’t enough as GG folded for 117 for eight.
RCB’s Sayali Satghare shone with 3-? wickets, Nadine de Klerk grabbed two, and Lauren Bell, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil chipped in with one each. This victory underscores RCB’s formidable form heading into the business end of WPL.