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- UP vs RCB, WPL Highlights: RCB complete dominant eight-wicket win vs UP Warriorz
UP vs RCB, WPL Highlights: RCB complete dominant eight-wicket win vs UP Warriorz
The momentum shifted dramatically once Nadine de Klerk struck. Her dismissal of Lanning triggered a collapse, and she followed it up by trapping Amy Jones lbw with a clever cross-seam delivery. Grace Harris then tightened the screws, removing Harleen Deol and Chloe Tryon in quick succession as UP Warriorz slid from a position of strength to 103 for four. Despite Deepti’s fluent 55 off 43 balls, the innings never recovered, and UP Warriorz limped to 143 for eight.
RCB’s reply was headlined by an extraordinary assault from Grace Harris. She tore into the UP Warriorz attack from the outset, targeting Kranti Gaud and finding the boundary at will. Harris raced to her half-century off just 28 balls and finished with 75 from 37 deliveries, laced with 13 fours and two sixes. Mandhana played the perfect foil with a polished 26-ball fifty as the pair added 108 runs.
Although Harris fell with only 36 runs required, the result was sealed long before. RCB stormed home with more than ten overs to spare, confirming their place in the final and underlining their status as the team to beat.
Sayali Satghare to Deepti Sharma, Moving away, on a short of a length. Deepti rides the bounce and punches it past point for a single.
The dot ball queen gets going with a neat, no-nonsense first over. Sayali Satghare is ready to share the attack from the opposite end. Richa Ghosh, the keeper, comes up to the stumps, and there is no slip in place.
- Meg Lanning 1 (5)
- Deepti Sharma 1 (1)
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, Oh, that kept a bit low! Bell pulls the length back, outside off. Meg arches back and goes hard on the cut. The ball does not rise as much as she anticipated and it sneaks under the blade. Richa Ghosh collects it on the bounce.
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, Pushes the length up, does Bell, on off, Lanning drives it without much timing to cover.
Lauren Bell to Deepti Sharma, Pushed across the left-hander, on a short of a length, Deepti steers it down to deep point and gets off the mark with a single.
Lauren Bell to Deepti Sharma, Wide! There was a noise, and RCB looked interested in going for the review. Smriti Mandhana takes the opinion of the keeper, but in the end, they decide against the review. Shaping back in, around leg, Deepti thinks about glancing it away but eventually opts to withdraw her bat. The replays show that the ball clipped her pads on the way to the keeper. A review would have helped overrule the wide call.
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, On a back of a length, outside off, Lanning hangs back and cuts it down to deep third. Opens her account with a single.
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, Wide! Too full from Lauren, sliding down leg. Lanning fails to lay any bat on the tickle. The Warriorz are on the board with this extra!
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, A flash and a miss! Movement and bounce for Bell. Shaping away, short and outside off. Lanning throws her hands at the ball to cash in on the width. The ball keeps rising and goes over her flailing blade.
Lauren Bell to Meg Lanning, Rapped on the pads! Looked high, and the appeal dies down quickly. Angled into the right-hander, on middle. Meg brings her bat out in front to block it off. The ball beats her on the inside edge and catches her high on the back thigh.
Ready, steady, go! All set then. The pre-match formalities are done, and it is time to set the ball rolling. The two umpires make their way out to the middle, followed by the RCB players. UP Warriorz are shaking things up at the top, with a new opening pair. It will be Meg Lanning alongside Deepti Sharma. It's the ever-reliable Lauren Bell to kick things off with the ball. One slip in place. Here we go...
The new recruit for UP Warriorz - Amy Jones says that she has got over the jet lag after a quick turnaround and is very excited to be here. Adds that she has only heard good things about the WPL and that it is something she wanted to be a part of. Mentions that she has been following the tournament and watching the highlights. Shares that it is really exciting to be joining at this stage, when every game is a must-win. States that everyone is up for the challenge, that they have had a good training session and team talks, and everyone is excited to go out there and execute the plans. Amy hopes that she does a good job for the team.
The captain of UP Warriorz - Meg Lanning starts by saying that it feels like the start of a new tournament for them, with nothing to lose and everything on the line. She adds that the focus is on the things they want to do better, and that the break has given them time to reflect. Informs that Amy Jones comes into the side and Simran Shaikh replaces Kiran Navgire. Meg hopes that the change in dynamics brings energy and sparks the team. Shares that there could be a new opening pair but chooses not to disclose it, keeping the cards close to her heart.
The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Smriti Mandhana feels that it is a good wicket to bat on, adding that they played here against MI, and she wants her team to bowl in good areas. Shares that one important point, Anya Shrubsole (bowling and assistant coach) mentioned, is that the team has to review the games practically and not emotionally. Smriti says that they have done a lot of things right to win the first five games, and what has worked for them again is keeping things simple. States that someone playing good cricket is what happened against the Mumbai Indians, and that happens in cricket. Adds that they want to rectify their mistakes, but not by putting themselves in a hole, and want to keep things the same. She mentions that there is one change in the team, with Pooja Vastrakar coming in place of Gautami Naik. Further informs that Pooja is available to bat, while her bowling will take time, adding that she has had a tough year, but the team was really excited when they got her in the auction.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (C), Georgia Voll, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (WK), Pooja Vastrakar (In for Gautami Naik), Nadine De Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil and Lauren Bell.
UP Warriorz (Playing XI) - Meg Lanning (C), Amy Jones (On WPL debut) (In for Phoebe Litchfield), Simran Shaikh (In for Kiran Navgire), Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat (WK), Sophie Ecclestone, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud and Asha Sobhana.
For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the danger is quieter but just as real. A third straight defeat would suggest a trend, not a blip. In tournaments like these, timing matters. Form peaks and fades quickly. As the league inches towards the playoffs, this match could quietly shape the path for both sides in very different ways.
With Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma and Shikha Pandey offering control, UPW’s XI has depth. What it lacks is clarity. The next selection call must be bold, not cautious. In a season slipping away, conservative choices only prolong the inevitable.
Interestingly, teams have defended totals successfully in the last two matches. Captains may need to rethink the automatic instinct to chase. Reading conditions quickly at the toss could shape the contest, especially for UPW, who cannot afford tactical missteps.
The solution may involve reshuffling roles rather than persistence. Harleen Deol could be handed another chance at the top, allowing Navgire to drop into the middle order and reset. With nothing left to lose, UPW may finally be forced into decisive change. Whether it comes too late is the bigger question.
Grace Harris and Georgia Voll have produced just one major innings each, while the middle order has had to absorb increasing pressure. Although RCB are still well placed, heading into the business end with three straight defeats is rarely ideal. This match against UP Warriorz offers a chance to steady themselves. Fail again, and momentum could shift dangerously close to the playoffs.
The pressure is immense, but perhaps the one-week break before this fixture could help. Time away from the intensity of match days can reset confidence and clear mental clutter. Yet history shows breaks can cut both ways. For a side already short on rhythm, restarting sharply becomes crucial. Against an RCB side still at the top but showing signs of vulnerability, UPW’s season may hinge on how well they handle this do-or-die moment.
The opening slot best captures the struggle. An average opening stand of just 12.16 has forced the middle order into recovery mode almost every game. With qualification hopes hanging by a thread, UPW now face a stark reality. There is no space left for experiments or patience. Each game from here is a knockout, and unless their Indian players step up immediately, another season risks ending before it truly began.
The chase was never in doubt once Grace Harris launched a breathtaking counterattack. Her blistering 75 off just 37 balls dismantled the UP Warriorz bowling and ensured RCB cruised home with 41 balls to spare. The emphatic win lifted RCB to 12 points, sealing a top-of-the-table finish and a direct entry into the final, while UP Warriorz were left rooted to the bottom with a severely damaged net run rate.
Match Statistics
Venue
BCA Stadium, Vadodara
