Sobhana Asha guides RCB to victory over UPW by 2 runs in WPL 2024

Leg-spinner Sobhana Asha's exceptional spell of 5/22 guided Royal Challengers Bangalore to the victory over UP Warriorz in the second encounter of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 at M. Chinnaswammy Stadium on Saturday.

Leg-spinner Sobhana Asha's exceptional spell of 5/22 guided Royal Challengers Bangalore to the victory over UP Warriorz in the second encounter of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 at M. Chinnaswammy Stadium on Saturday. UP Warriorz while chasing 158 runs, lost the first wicket as skipper Alyssa Healy went back to the pavilion after scoring 5 runs in just the second over of the innings.

At the score of 48, first, the UPW lost the wicket of Vrinda Dinesh and then the wicket of Tahilla McGrath when the team score was 49 after scoring 22 runs. After the fall of three wickets, Grace Harris and Shweta Sehrawat (31) built an outstanding 77-run partnership which took the UP side to 126 runs before the latter was dismissed in the 17th over by Asha.

The UP franchise fell short of the target by two runs in the fixture against RCB. Besides Sobhana, Sophie and Wareham got a wicket each.

Earlier in the first innings, Half-centuries from Sabbinenni Meghana and Richa Ghosh helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recover from some quick loss of wickets, posting 157/6 in their 20 overs. Put to bowl first by UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was off to a shaky start with Sophie Devine falling lbw to Grace Harris for just 1. RCB was 13/1 in 2.1 overs.

Smriti Mandhana had hit Tahlia McGrath for a four and six and was joined by Sabbinenni Meghana, who made her intentions clear by smashing Grace for three successive fours. However, just when it seemed RCB would pick up, Mandhana was dismissed for a disappointing 13 in 11 balls, with Tahlia getting the wicket. Vrinda Dinesh took a fine catch at short fine leg. RCB was 36/2 in 5.1 overs.

At the end of the first six overs, RCB was 40/2 with Meghana joined by Australian superstar Ellyse Perry. RCB touched the 50-run mark in 6.5 overs. But the partnership between the duo did not last too long as Perry was dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone for just eight runs. RCB was 54/3 in 7.5 overs.

Halfway through the innings, RCB was 64/3, with Richa Ghosh (8*) and Meghana (31*) unbeaten. Meghana reached her half-century in 40 balls, with seven fours and a six. Richa relieved a lot of pressure for RCB, smashing Saima Thakor for four boundaries. RCB reached the 100-run mark in 13.5 overs. Richa and Meghana also brought up their fifty-run stand.

At the end of 15 overs, RCB was 115/3, with Richa (38*) and Meghana (52*) unbeaten. Rajeshwari Gayakwad broke the partnership with her spin, removing Meghana for 53 in 44 balls, with seven fours and a six. RCB was 125/4 in 16.1 overs. Gayakwad also removed Georgia Wareham for a duck, reducing RCB to 125/5 in 16.4 overs.

This did not affect Richa, who went on to smash McGrath for a hat-trick of fours. She brought up her fifty in 31 balls, with 10 fours. Deepti Sharma cleaned up Richa for 62 in 37 balls, consisting of 12 fours. RCB was 144/6 in 18.5 overs.

RCB ended their innings on a solid note, with Shreyanka Patil finishing off the innings with a six. Ecclestone's final over gave away 12 runs. RCB ended at 157/6 in 20 overs, with Sophie Molineux (9*) and Shreyanka Patil (8*) unbeaten.

Gayakwad (2/24) was the pick of the bowlers for UP. Grace, Tahlia, Sophie and Deepti also took a wicket each. Brief Score: UPW 155/7 in 20 overs (Grace Harris 38, Shweta Sehrawat 31, Sobhana Asha 5/22) vs RCB 157/6 in 20 overs (Richa Ghosh 62, Sabbhineni Meghana 53, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2/24). (ANI)

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