Mandhana stars as RCB down Delhi Capitals

Smriti Mandhana’s glorious 96 from just 61 balls lead the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comprehensive 8-wicket victory with ten balls to spare in their WPL match against the Delhi Capitals Women at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Saturday night.

The mere fact that RCB were replying to as many as 166 was remarkable in itself after Delhi Women exploded to 10-4 after just nine balls after being asked to bat first.

All three of Delhi’s big name South Africans crashed instantly with Lizelle Lee (although she is now Australian) bowled by England seamer Lauren Bell (3-26) for four and Laura Wolvaardt (0) bowled by a magnificent off-cutter, second ball, for a duck.

Marizanne Kapp was clean bowled by seamer Sayali Satghare (3-27) with Jemimah Rodrigues (4) dismissed in identical fashion a ball earlier.

But opener Shafali Verma counter-attacked despite the crisis hammering 62 from just 41 balls with five fours and four sixes while Sneh Rana (22) and 19-year-old Lucy Hamilton bashed a trio of fours and sixes in her 36 from just 19 balls to put a respectable total on the board.

It wasn’t nearly enough for victory, however, as 29-year-old skipper Mandhana tore into the Delhi bowlers with a complete display of driving and pulling against the seamers with deft sweeps and dabbed singles against the spinners.

Australia’s Georgia Voll was happy to play the ‘junior’ role with 54* from 42 balls (5x4, 2x6) Mandhana took control.

RCB have stormed to the top of the log with eight points from four wins in four games, four points clear of second placed MI Women, Gujarat Giants Women and UP Warriorz Women, while Delhi are marooned in last place with just two points from a single win in four games.