Explorer

DC-W vs RCB-W, Match Highlights: Shafali-Lanning Heroics, Tara's Fifer Propel Delhi To Big Win Over Bangalore

WPL 2023, DC-W vs RCB-W: 19-year-old Shafali Verma took WPL to a new high with her explosive display of 84 off just 45 balls (10x4, 4x6).

The power of Shafali Verma's strokes combined with Meg Lanning's experience in a sensational 162-run opening-wicket stand helped Delhi Capitals to a thumping 60-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Women's Premier League opener here on Sunday.

American left-arm pace bowler Tara Norris then came to the party, grabbing a fifer for DC to decimate the Smriti Mandhana-led team.

A day after her Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur had led Mumbai Indians to 207/5 in the inaugural match of the tournament, the 19-year-old Shafali took WPL to a new high with her explosive display of 84 off just 45 balls (10x4, 4x6).

The legendary five-time World Cup-winning Australian skipper Lanning, was also at her attacking best in a 43-ball 72 (14x4) as the duo demolished a listless RCB attack to take the WPL score to an imposing 223/2.

In reply, RCB got off to a spectacular start but left-arm pacer from USA Tara Norris (4-0-29-5) and Alice Capsey (2-0-10-2) dragged them down to 163 for eight in the stipulated 20 overs.

Norris, who became the first Associate player in the WPL, ripped through the star-studded RCB middle order taking the wickets of Ellyse Perry (31), Richa Ghosh (2) and Heather Knight (34) to send half of their batters back into the hut for 93 in 12.2 overs.

She bowled with pace and got the WPL's first fifer with Kanika Ahuja's scalp.

India vice-captain and WPL's costliest player Smriti Mandhana, and Sophie Devine fired on all cylinders. At the four-over mark, they were 41 for no loss, way ahead of DC's 29/0 at the same stage.

But English off-spinner Capsey triggered a stunning collapse, dismissing the duo in successive overs. She first accounted for the Kiwi batter for 14 (11b; 3x4) when Shafali took a stunning diving catch. Mandhana then gifted her wicket away with a top edge to Shikha Pandey.

The loss reminded one of RCB's 140-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League in the inaugural edition in 2008, when they folded up for 82 in reply to KKR's 222/3.

Earlier, DC got a dream start with Shafali and Lanning minting runs. Heather Knight gave RCB something to cheer in the 15th over when the England skipper dismissed the duo with her off-spin.

Knight cleaned up her Australian counterpart with a fuller delivery, and after just one delivery, Shafali went for a widish delivery with Richa Ghosh completing a brilliant catch to inflict a double blow.

But, it was too little too late for the RCB camp as the DC duo's epic opening partnership of 162 runs from 87 balls had set the tone for a 200-plus score. It was then left to Marizanne Kapp and Jemimah Rodrigues to give the final flourish, and they adding 59 runs in the back end.

Fresh from her T20 World Cup exploits, the South African batter smashed three sixes and three fours in her 17-ball unbeaten 39, while Jemimah complemented well in a 15-ball 22 (3x4).

A compact-looking Shafali never put a foot wrong, and picked the loose balls well to unleash her fury en route a 31-ball fifty with a single off Megan Schutt.

In the next over, the peerless Australian skipper Lanning followed suit with a 30-ball half-century, sweeping Heather Knight to fine leg for a four.

Having started off with 12 boundaries in the powerplay, Delhi cantered to the 100-run mark at the halfway mark as the duo accelerated well in the middle overs.

While the pair's batting was majestic, Lanning and Shafali made merry against some listless bowling by the RCB bowlers.

On her WPL captaincy debut, Smriti Mandhana went on to use seven bowlers after she took the bold step of opting to bowl on a batting-friendly Brabourne. 

View More
Advertisement

IPL Auction 2025

Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Virat Kohli
₹21 CR
Josh Hazlewood
₹12.50 CR
Phil Salt
₹11.50 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Rishabh Pant
₹27 CR
Nicholas Pooran
₹21 CR
Ravi Bishnoi
₹11 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Jasprit Bumrah
₹18 CR
Suryakumar Yadav
₹16.35 CR
Hardik Pandya
₹16.35 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Heinrich Klaasen
₹23 CR
Pat Cummins
₹18 CR
Abhishek Sharma
₹14 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Ruturaj Gaikwad
₹18 CR
Ravindra Jadeja
₹18 CR
Matheesha Pathirana
₹13 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Shreyas Iyer
₹26.75 CR
Arshdeep Singh
₹18 CR
Yuzvendra Chahal
₹18 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Sanju Samson
₹18 CR
Yashaswi Jaiswal
₹18 CR
Riyan Parag
₹14 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Venkatesh Iyer
₹23.75 CR
Rinku Singh
₹13 CR
Varun Chakaravarthy
₹12 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Rashid Khan
₹18 CR
Shubman Gill
₹16.50 CR
Jos Buttler
₹15.75 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Axar Patel
₹16.50 CR
KL Rahul
₹14 CR
Kuldeep Yadav
₹13.25 CR
View all
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

Maharashtra CM To Be From BJP, Two Deputies, Oath-Taking Likely On Dec 2 — What We Know So Far
Maharashtra CM To Be From BJP, Two Deputies, Oath-Taking Likely On Dec 2 — What We Know So Far
Court Agrees To Hear Petition Claiming Ajmer Dargah As Shiv Temple, Summons Dargah Committee, ASI
Court Agrees To Hear Petition Claiming Ajmer Dargah As Shiv Temple, Summons Dargah Committee, ASI
'Never Had Disagreements In Mahayuti': Fadnavis Says After Shinde Leaves CM Post Decision To BJP
'Never Had Disagreements In Mahayuti': Fadnavis Says After Shinde Leaves CM Post Decision To BJP
IIT-Delhi Research Student Dies After Harappan Excavation Pit Collapses Over Her In Gujarat's Lothal
IIT-Delhi Research Student Dies After Harappan Excavation Pit Collapses Over Her In Gujarat's Lothal
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

ABP News: Big news on Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Elections, Sambhal CaseSambhal Masjid Clash: Why was Kashmir mentioned amid Sambhal violence? Watch the report | ABP NewsMP News: How right or wrong is the ban on Muslim shops during Maha Kumbh? | ABP News | Hindi NewsFIR Filed Against Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman, Statement Released Amidst Controversy

Photo Gallery

Embed widget