RCB got first defeat under the leadership of the most expensive player to debut in WPL 2023, Delhi Capitals beat by 60 runs
Delhi Capitals have exploded in the very beginning of their campaign in the Women’s Premier League. Delhi Capitals have defeated the team of Royal Challengers Bangalore, which is considered strong, by 60 runs. The Bangalore team will now play their second match against Mumbai Indians on March 6.
In the match between Delhi and Bangalore played on March 5, RCB captain and most expensive player Smriti Mandhana won the toss and decided to bowl first, which cost her dearly. The batsmen of Delhi Capitals not only washed the bowlers of the team first but also did not allow the batsmen to stay at the crease in the second innings.
Such was the innings of Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals scored half-centuries of Shafali Verma (84) and captain Meg Lanning (72) and a 162-run partnership for the first wicket between the two against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 match here on Sunday. Scored a huge score of 223 runs for two wickets. This is the second highest score in women’s T20 franchise history. Shafali was the more aggressive of the two openers, hitting 10 fours and four sixes in her 45-ball innings. At the same time, World Cup winning Australian captain Lanning hit 14 fours during his 43-ball innings. Both were in good touch and the Royals were setting up the Challengers Bangalore bowling attack at the batting-friendly Brabourne Stadium. Both had hit 12 boundaries in the powerplay. The team had scored 100 runs in 10 overs. RCB captain Smriti Mandhana employed seven bowlers to break the partnership but it was England’s Heather Knight who finally got the breakthrough. Knight gave double blow to Delhi Capitals by dismissing both the players in the 15th over. Heather first bowled Lanning on the third ball of the 15th over and then a ball later had Shefali caught by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, ending their 84-ball partnership. But after this, Marijane Kapp (39 not out) and Jemima Rodrigues (22 not out) together crossed the 200-run mark and shared an unbeaten 60-run partnership in 31 balls. South African batsman Kapp hit three sixes and three fours in his 17-ball knock while Jemimah hit three fours in 15 balls.
RCB could not survive
The team of Royal Challengers Bangalore could only manage 163 runs in 20 overs in response to Delhi Capitals. The team achieved this score by losing eight wickets. RCB started the match with a bang and openers Smriti and Sophie scored 31 runs in three overs. RCB got the first blow in the form of Sophie Devine, who was sent to the pavilion by Alice Capsy. After this, there was another blow in the seventh over when Alice Capsey showed the way to the pavilion on the score of 35 runs. He hit five fours and a six in his innings. The team got the third blow in the form of Alice Parry, who was dismissed after scoring 31 runs in 19 balls. The fourth blow came in the form of Disha Kasat. Richa Ghosh of RCB took the fifth wicket and Kanika Ahuja took the sixth wicket. Shikha Pandey took the seventh wicket as Asha Shobhana, who returned to the pavilion for just two runs. Delhi took the eighth wicket as Heather Knight, who returned to the pavilion after scoring 34 off 21 balls. With this, the dreams of the team also got destroyed.
