Smriti Mandhana.
(Photo Source- WPL)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s opening night in the WPL wasn’t immaculate, but captain Smriti Mandhana was elated to secure a thrilling side of the game. The defending champions faced a dreadful challenge after recording the fourth-highest total in WPL history, where their middle order—led by Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, and Ellyse Perry—mechanized them to a ravishing total of 202 to chase.
Smriti Mandhana was dismissed for 9 in the second over but exalted her teammates for stepping up and taking the lead. “It was brilliant to watch,” Mandhana said after the match. “They (Ahuja and Ghosh) have been doing this in the nets for the past week, so I’m really happy it clicked today. With the dew setting in, we knew we were always in the game. The way Richa and Pez (Perry) batted was amazing.”
Gujarat Giants had a mighty outset, with Ashleigh Gardner’s mind-boggling 79 off 37 balls before initially washing out both Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. However, their fielding tragedy—misfields, dropped catches, overthrows, and missed run-outs turned heavy on their game. Perry stood as a backbone to RCB with a crucial 57 off 34, and later Ghosh (64* off 27) and Ahuja (30* off 13) turned the entire game around.
Ghosh, who began steadily and with caution with 15 off 12, acknowledged pre-tournament match simulations for her poise under pressure. “The plan was to take some time and assess the pitch,” she said. “Ahuja and I believed we could chase the target positively. Our practice sessions with sir (head coach Luke Williams) really helped.”
Kanika Ahuja, playing after a year-long injury cutback, was all pumped up for the game. “I’m really happy to be back. The rehab and visualizations helped me mentally,” she said.
Despite the absence of key players, Mandhana assisted her young girl squad but professed improvements and lookouts were needed. “We lost our top-three wicket-takers from last season, so we had to adapt. Our replacements did well, but there’s work to do in our bowling and fielding. We’ll regroup before the next match”, she said.
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