In the ongoing WPL 2023, the much-talked-about franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered its four consecutive losses after losing to UP Warriorz. It was their poor batting display that costed them a game against UP-based franchise on Friday at Brabourne Stadium. Post losing the match, skipper Smriti Mandhana stated that she will also take the blame.
“I think in the last four games, it has been happening. We start well and we lose a cluster of wickets. I will take the blame as well. As a top-order batter, we need to put up runs on the board for the bowlers to defend,” Mandhana said after the game.
After choosing to bat first, RCB were bundled out for just 138 runs with Ellyse Perry playing a knock of 39-ball 52. In reply, UP Warriorz chased down the total to register a 10-wicket win with as many as 42 balls to spare.
“We are trying to get a balanced team that can win us a game. I have tried to speak to almost all the players, pep them up and I have to keep doing it. Last week has been tough. Lots to reflect and lots to work on.”
UP skipper Alyssa Healy starred with the bat as she smashed 47-ball 96 not out and helped her team complete its second win in the league. UP spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma conceded very few runs and constantly took wickets to bowl out RCB.
The India vice-captain added, “A lot of people have reached out to me and as an international cricketer, we have faced these situations before. I have my family around me always but I always believe that you have to sit by yourself and rectify your mistakes.”
For UP, Healy and her opening partner Devika Vaidya (36 not out off 31 balls) started smashing the RCB bowlers from the very beginning. It was a mixture of aggressive and balanced batting by both batters.
“I was really pleased with the bowlers. Before the game, I thought if we could keep them to under 200, it would be great. To keep a batting unit like that to a score under 140 was phenomenal,” Healy said.
Experienced English left-arm spinner Ecclestone concluded the innings with excellent figures of 4/13 in her full quota of four overs, while Deepti ended with 3/26.
“It was spin to win tonight. It is still a good batting wicket but our spinners bowled well in partnerships. Anjali held her nerve too. Our bowlers executed really well tonight. Devika came into the top of the order and just showed her class.
“During the series we played against India, I thought what she was doing so low down the order. We just set the platform early. We got off to a really good start.
“At the time-out, we discussed about not dragging it out until the final over. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t. Today it did and I am really happy about that,” Healy added.