New Delhi: Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore have jumped to the top spot of the points table after their dominant 8-wicket win against Beth Mooney-led Gujarat Giants in match 5 of the ongoing Women’s Premier League 2024 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, on February 27. Star bowler Renuka Singh received the Player of the Match for her astonishing bowling performance.
RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision turned out good as Renuka Singh sent the dangerous Beth Mooney and Pheobe Litchfield back to the pavilion within the first seven overs and shook the Giants early on in the game from which they could never recover. Renuka finished her four-over spell with two wickets and just gave away 14 runs. She was highly impressed with her spell and called it one of her best spells ever.
“I’m very happy, it’s been a long time since I have bowled a good spell, especially after the injury. One of my best spells this. It feels good because I have worked hard a lot and I’m happy the results are showing. [on her round the wicket strategy] I have worked on this a lot, I spoke to my coach Troy [Cooley] after the India series, who asked me to work on this,” said Renuka after receiving the Player of the Match.
Renuka’s spell supported by great bowling from Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Asha Shobhana, and Georgia Wareham helped RCB to restrict Gujarat Giants to 107/7 in 20 overs.
Chasing 108, Royal Challengers were propped up by skipper Smriti Mandhana who hammered a 27-ball 43. Fellow opener Sophie Devine was out for six, caught by Meghana Singh off Ashleigh Gardner, Mandhana found a willing partner in Sabbhineni Meghana as they took the score to 72 before the skipper offered a catch back to Tanuja Kanwar to return to the pavilion.
Meghana, who scored an unbeaten 36 (28 balls, 5×4, 1×6), stayed put at the wicket and with the help of Ellyse Perry, who blazed to 23 not out off 14 balls, hitting four boundaries, as RCB reached 110/2 in 12.3 overs to seal a big win.
