WPL 2025: RCB Dominates in Final League Match, Sends MI to Eliminator
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Synopsis
On March 11, 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru achieved a significant victory against Mumbai Indians in their final Women's Premier League match, winning by 11 runs. Ellyse Perry and Smriti Mandhana shone with the bat, while Perry, Garth, and Rana delivered impressive bowling performances.
Key Takeaways
- RCB won their last WPL match by 11 runs.
- Ellyse Perry and Smriti Mandhana were key performers.
- MI is sent to the Eliminator match.
- RCB's bowlers excelled, restricting MI to 188 runs.
- Delhi Capitals finished at the top of the table.
Mumbai, March 11 (NationPress) Ellyse Perry, Kim Garth, and Sneh Rana showcased an impressive bowling display after captain Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry provided solid batting efforts as Royal Challengers Bengaluru concluded their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 season with a confidence-boosting 11-run victory against Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium here on Tuesday.
Having already been eliminated from contention, Royal Challengers Bengaluru played with a sense of freedom in their final league encounter, delivering a performance they would have cherished to replicate multiple times throughout the season. This victory prevented Mumbai Indians from securing the top position in the points table and relegated them to the Eliminator match for the third time in WPL. They are set to clash with the Gujarat Giants on Thursday (March 13), with the winner facing Delhi Capitals in the final.
The success of RCB on Tuesday resulted in Delhi Capitals finishing at the top of the table on NRR after both teams concluded with 10 points. Gujarat Giants claimed the third spot with eight points, while both RCB and UP Warriorz ended their campaigns with six points each.
RCB concluded the WPL in the same manner as they commenced, achieving victory. Their top order delivered, and the bowlers capitalized on both the conditions and scoreboard pressure, limiting Mumbai Indians to 188/9 in 20 overs after captain Smriti Mandhana scored a half-century and Ellyse Perry contributed an unbeaten 49 to help RCB set a challenging total of 199/3.
Mumbai remained in contention, thanks to a remarkable 35-ball 69 from Nat Sciver-Brunt and some late-game heroics from Sajeevan Sajana, who hit sixes off consecutive deliveries, reducing the equation to 12 runs from three balls. Ellyse Perry bowled a dot ball and then had Sajana attempt another big hit but ended up catching the ball for a commendable 12-ball 23, leaving Mumbai Indians falling short by 11 runs.
The quick dismissals of Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose innings included nine fours and two sixes, and Harmanpreet Kaur (20 off 18Sneh Rana slowed down the MI innings with a haul of 3-26, Perry rounded off an impressive all-round performance with 2-53, and Kim Garth secured 2-33 to help RCB defeat MI at the Brabourne Stadium for the first time in six attempts.
Earlier, Mandhana scored 53, and significant contributions from Ellyse Perry (49 not out), Richa Ghosh (36), and Georgia Wareham (31 not out) propelled RCB to a formidable total.
Mandhana gave RCB a strong start after being asked to bat first, advancing the score to 53/1 during the power-play. Despite struggling to find form this season after a stellar pre-WPL performance, she and Sabbhineni Meghana (who scored 26 off 13) forged a partnership of 41 runs for the first wicket.
Smriti had a few close calls early on but asserted control from the outset, reaching her fifty off 35 balls, adorned with six fours and three sixes. She initiated her innings with a four off Shabnim Ismail and then treated the same bowler to another four and a six in the third over, followed by a six over deep mid-wicket and another four off the next ball. A couple of boundaries off Parunika Sisodia in the eleventh over brought her to fifty. She was dismissed shortly thereafter, hitting Kerr to Ismail for 53.
Smriti added 59 runs for the second wicket with Perry, pushing the score past three figures. After the skipper's dismissal, Perry took the lead, maintaining the scoring pace with support from Richa Ghosh, who contributed significantly with 36 off 22 balls, hitting five fours and one six. They formed a partnership of 53 runs for the third wicket over 44 balls to take RCB beyond 150.
Perry and Georgia Wareham blasted 46 runs off the last 16 balls, with Perry remaining unbeaten on 49 from 38 balls, hitting five boundaries and one six. She played a pivotal role in keeping the innings stable after Smriti was out. They provided the essential momentum to the innings, with Wareham finishing on 31 off 10 balls, hitting five fours and one six, allowing them to reach a challenging total that ultimately proved sufficient.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 199/3 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 53, Ellyse Perry 49 not out, Richa Ghosh 36; Hayley Matthews 2-37) defeated Mumbai Indians 188/9 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 69, Sajeevan Sajana 23; Sneh Rana 3-26, Ellyse Perry 2-53, Kim Garth 2-33) by 11 runs.
