Fighting Mumbai Indians Go Down To RCB In Thrilling Chase At Brabourne Stadium

Mumbai Indians put up a valiant fight but Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held their nerve to ensure the home team failed in their attempt to achieve a direct qualification for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) final, losing by 11 runs, at the Brabourne Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a huge target of 200 for victory and a place in the final, Mumbai Indians struggled losing wickets at regular intervals with Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 69 being the only knock that gave them a fighting chance before Sajeevan Sajana’s two massive sixes ensured they were in the game until the last two balls of the match with 12 runs required.

Ellyse Perry got the back of Sajana off the fifth ball of the last over to end Mumbai’s hopes.
With the loss, they remain at the second place with 10 points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of 0.192 with Delhi Capitals progressing to the summit clash as the top-placed team with 10 points and a superior NRR of 0.396.

Mumbai Indians will now play Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator for a place in the final at the same venue on Thursday.

Earlier, RCB were off to a rollicking start with Sabbhineni Meghana and Smriti Mandhana putting on a 41-run opening partnership and that provided them the platform to mount the massive total of 199/3.

Meghana was in a fiery mood putting the Mumbai Indians bowlers Hayley Mathews, Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver Brunt to the sword.

With four fours and a six, the RCB batter was in a menacing mood against Mathews who was taken for two fours and a six in the fourth over.

However, Mathews had the last laugh after she bowled a seam-up ball at 102.8 kph that hurried into Meghana and all she could do was get a top edge that went straight to Parunika Sisodia at fine leg.

She departed with a strike rate of 200 which gave RCB the impetus to get a big total.

At the end of the powerplay, RCB were 53/1 with a run-rate close to nine and skipper Mandhana and new batter Ellyse Perry in the middle.

Amanjot Kaur bowled a brilliant tidy seventh over as she conceded just two runs to keep RCB on a tight leash after the initial onslaught by Meghana.

At the 10-over mark, RCB got to 87/1 with Mandhana on 43 off 30 balls slamming four boundaries and three sixes while Perry was solid on 15.

They were looking good for a 175-180 score with Mumbai bowlers having a lot of work to do.

Mandhana cracked a terrific half-century reaching there in 35 balls as RCB were just getting set for a big total.

To make matters worse, Perry was given a life the very next over bowled by Amelia Kerr, who dropped a caught and bowled opportunity.

The 12^th over by Kerr was eventful as Perry received another life when she was put down by Gupta but Kerr got the wicket she wanted when Mandhana holed out to Shabnim and was a goner for 53.

Thereafter, a 53-run partnership ensued between Perry and Richa Ghosh, who scored a quickfire 36 off 22 balls comprising five fours and a six.

Perry provided the late flourish for RCB with 18 runs coming off the 19^th over of Amanjot Kaur where the Australian smashed two fours and Georgia Wareham plucked two as well.

The 20^th over was even better as Wareham went berserk blasting Kerr for two fours and a six while Perry chipped in with a four as well as RCB finished with 199/3.