WPL 2025: Smriti plays captain’s knock as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beats Delhi Capitals to remain perfect in Vadodara
Smriti Mandhana and Royal Challengers Bengaluru effected a chillingly efficient demolition of Delhi Capitals during their Women’s Premier League encounter at the Kotambi International Stadium here in Vadodara on Monday.
The defending champion thumped last year’s runner-up by eight wickets courtesy of a dominant opening-wicket partnership and RCB’s combined bowling efforts to complete the Baroda leg with two wins.
Smriti and Danni Wyatt-Hodge made easy work of the 142-run chase, adding 107 for the first wicket. The skipper played the role of the aggressor, taking on DC’s bowling unit and muscling shots all over the ground. The 20,000-odd fans present were witness to an unforgettable innings by the Indian stalwart.
Smriti found an able partner in Wyatt-Hodge (33 off 24 balls), who paced her innings before her inside-out drive found sweeper cover. Though Smriti couldn’t finish the game after mistiming a scoop to mid-on off Shikha Pandey, her 47-ball 81 was sufficient for RCB to secure a first win against the Capitals in the league stage.
After putting DC to bat, Renuka Singh and Georgia Wareham had a field day against Meg Lanning’s side. The pacer drew first blood with the new ball, removing power-hitter Shafali Verma for a golden duck. Jemimah Rodrigues and Lanning were forced to do the heavy lifting and the former looked ready to carry on with the task.
Jemimah survived an early leg-before scare and used the second chance to unleash her firepower. She targeted the skewed square boundaries, even pulling one behind square for a maximum. But a mistimed reverse sweep allowed Richa Ghosh to effect a stumping off Georgis Wareham’s bowling that brought an end to her promising knock.
Renuka Singh of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrating the wicket during match 4 of the Women’s Premier League 2025 (WPL) between The Delhi Capitals and The Royal Challengers Bangalore held at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, India on the 17th February 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Sportzpics for WPL
Renuka Singh of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrating the wicket during match 4 of the Women’s Premier League 2025 (WPL) between The Delhi Capitals and The Royal Challengers Bangalore held at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, India on the 17th February 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Sportzpics for WPL
Wareham then outwitted Sarah Bryce with a shorter ball outside off. The Scottish wicketkeeper stepped out of her crease but was beaten, leaving Richa to take the bails off again. The Australian got one more wicket after Radha Yadav slapped the ball straight back to the bowler.
Renuka was able to get the older ball to inflict damage, striking twice in her last two overs. The pacer got Annabel Sutherland to toe-end a fullish ball outside off to Smriti at extra cover. She also deceived her counterpart Shikha Pandey with a slower off-cutter which was sliced to Ekta Bisht at point.
Ekta, playing her first WPL game this season, also struck in successive overs, taking the prized scalps of Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen – both of whom where also playing their first match this campaign. Kim Garth, too, was among the wicket-takers, getting Lanning to miscue a short ball which found Ellyse Perry behind square.
Arundhati Reddy was the last one to fall, succumbing to Garth’s slower ball that wrapped up the Capitals for a dismal total.
