Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) finally registered their maiden victory in the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) after defeating UP Warriorz by five wickets a♍t Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Wednesda🤡y.
Chasing a paltry target of 136, RCB were in a spot of bother after losing four wickets for 60 in nine overs. Before the Warriorz could capitalise further, Kanika Ahuja stepped upꦺ for the C💫hallengers and took the game away from UP.
Kanika smashed 46 from 30 deliveries, including eight fours and one six. She was well supported by Richa Ghosh, who stayed unbea▨ten on 31 off 32 balls to take theꦅ Challengers over the finish line.
Earlier, RCB bowlers exhibited top-class bowling and kept the pressure on UP from the word go. Only Grace Harris stood tall in front of RCB’s bowlers and revived her side by contributing 46 runs off just 32 balls, with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Ellyse Perry was the standout bowler for the Challengers, t🐎aking three wickets for just 16 runs in her quota of four overs. Sophie Devine also bowled well, taking 2 🦹wickets for 23 runs as UP Warriorz were bowled out for 135 runs in 19.3 overs.
“Yeah, it was tense. We lost a couple of wickets in the 7th over, it was a bit nervous. But the way Kanika and Richa played was brilliant. Kanika in particular, really proud of her. Really excited to see her bat, the approach she has. She is a 360 degree player, who isn’t the most common in Indian cricket. Really impressed with her and the belief she has. Even when we have not been in great positions, the crowd keep chanting for us. Really happy for this loyal support base, not a lot of teams will have supporters turn up in such high numbers after losing five games,” said RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana in the post-match presentation.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Youngsters Kanika Aဣhuja and Richa Ghosh to the rescue for 🫡 record the꧂ir first WIN in 🥳
Scorecard ▶️
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20)
That’s it! We believed and we achieved. 🙌😮💨
✌crucial points i𒉰n the bag. We live to fight another day! 👊
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets)
RCB achieve 🎉their firs𝔍t WPL win, in their 6th match.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
First win for RCB in WPL.
The wait is over for the RCB fans, after losing 5 consecutive 🀅games.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Finally happy faces in RCB dugout. ❤️
— feryy (@ffspari)
First win for RCB after a long wait.
The mandatory RCB ⛎fans drop a "❤️" tweet.— Yashvi. (@BreatheKohli)
Mood in the RCB camp after 1st win.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)
How good, Kanika Ahuja. RCB would have probably blown this chanc꧟e u🅺p too but for her 👏
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh)
Thanks Virat Kohli for motivating the RCB team. Had you not inspired the RCB team, they would have lost the♐ir 6th match in a row.
— Arun Singh (@ArunTuThikHoGya)
I can't believe it, she is not the same Smriti Mandhana we know.
— Sir BoiesX 🕯 (@BoiesX45)
//tw🐠itter.com/_Cricpedia/status/1꧟636056073051463688
RCB W Off the mark, lesss go
— Prithvi (@Puneite_)
number 17 Kanik♛a Ahuja saving RCB in do or die match not surpris💧ed at all
— Kevin (@imkevin149)
RCB 🅷registers their first win of the s♑eason. Scorecard:
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ)
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