Delhi Capitals have directly qualified for the final of the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) handed Mumbai Indians an 11-run defeat on Tuesday at the Brabourne Stadium.
The match was a high-scoring thriller, with RCB successfully defending 199 and leaving Mumbai Indians reeling. RCB’s win was a significant boost for DC, who remained at the top of the points table and directly qualified for the final for the third consecutive season.
Mumbai Indians stayed in second place and will face Gujarat Giants in the playoff match on Thursday at the same venue, aiming to reach the final for the second time.
The chase of 200 runs was always going to be tough for MI despite the strength of their star-studded batting lineup. MI’s openers, Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr, got off to a quick start, adding 27 runs in just 3.2 overs. However, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana made a key move by introducing off-spinner Sneh Rana into the attack, and the gamble paid off immediately when Rana dismissed Matthews for 19 off 16 balls.
Nat Sciver-Brunt tried to counterattack with two consecutive boundaries, but as MI appeared to threaten once again, Rana trapped Kerr cheaply for just 9 runs.
Brunt carried the attack, reaching her fourth fifty of the season in the 14th over, but her remarkable knock ended when she fell to a slower ball from Ellyse Perry, returning a catch to the bowler. Brunt’s explosive 69 runs off just 35 balls was one of the highlights of MI’s innings.
Rana continued to wreak havoc, removing Yastika Bhatia for a mere 4 runs, and MI’s chase was increasingly slipping away as the asking rate continued to rise. In the end, RCB held their nerve and ended their losing streak, finishing the season on a high note.
Earlier in the match, after MI won the toss and opted to bowl, RCB openers Sabbhineni Meghana and Mandhana provided a blistering start, adding 41 runs in just 3.3 overs before Meghana was dismissed for 26. Mandhana, however, continued to dominate, reaching her half-century before falling. Ellyse Perry, along with Richa Ghosh (36) and Georgia Wareham (31*), made valuable contributions to propel RCB’s total to a commanding 199/3.