Delhi Capitals defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 25 wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to secure their second win of the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 on Thursday. The match also produced a whopping 19 sixes, the joint-most in a women’s T20 match.
Having won the toss RCB opted to bowl first with one change as Nadine de Klerk replaced Ellyse Perry in the XI. Whereas Delhi Capitals replaced Annabel Sutherland with fellow Aussie Jess Jonassen, a gamble that paid off.
Delhi Capitals all rounders put on a show
As RCB won the toss and chose to put Delhi Capitals to bat first, two partnerships ensured that DC put up a defendable total. The second wicket partnership made all the difference as Shafali Varma and Alice Capsey contributed 84 runs in a blistering fashion. Shafali scored her second consecutive half century in the tournament 50 (31); in the last game against UP Warriorz she scored 64 (43). Capsey, on the other hand, had a cracking start with both bat and ball, in the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians, scoring 75 (53) and scalping two wickets.
The decision to include Jess Jonassen to the playing XI proved to be successful as the 5th wicket partnership between South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp and Jonnasen added 48 runs in 22 balls to the scoreboard. Jonassen also scalped an incredible 3 wickets later, all coming in the final over of the match.
Kapp, one of the best all rounders in the international circuit, has also been in great form, showcasing her calibre in the match against UP Warriorz, with an economy of 1.25 having bowled four overs. The DC all-rounder continued her form by bagging two important wickets including the unstoppable Smriti Mandhana while also sending the dangerous Richa Ghosh back to the dugout.
Debutant Nadine de Klerk impresses
The 23 year-old South African all-rounder stepped up onto the field in the Women’s Premier League for the first time as a replacement for Ellyse Perry. Debutant Nadine made sure to grab the opportunity with both hands. The versatile all-rounder made her first appearance for South Africa in One Day Internationals back in 2017. In T20Is, she has played 48 matches for South Africa, scoring 439 runs and taking 37 wickets, showcasing her prowess in the shortest format of the game. Nadine sent Alice Capsey back to the pavilion preventing any more damage to RCB and later scalped the all important wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues.
Smriti Mandhana continues her good form
In a bold move in the inaugural season, Royal Challengers Bangalore eagerly snapped up Smriti Mandhana for a staggering INR 3.40 Crore, signaling their enthusiasm for the upcoming WPL season. Mandhana, known for her exceptional batting was swiftly appointed as captain. Leading the star-studded RCB team, Mandhana shoulders immense expectations, with opponents keenly eyeing her as a key wicket at the start of every match. Although, Mandhana failed to leave a mark as captain in the previous season, this time around she has been leading from the front. The southpaw scored her first consecutive half century of the season as she went all guns blazing in a bid to chase 195. She scored a stunning 74 runs off 43 balls, albeit in vain.