Kamal Ghorui
Former champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a commanding all-round display to thrash UP Warriorz by eight wickets, sealing their spot in the WPL final and all but ending the opposition’s playoff hopes here on Thursday. After opting to bowl, RCB clawed their way back impressively despite a brisk start from UP Warriorz. Nadine de Klerk led the fightback with a brilliant spell of 4 for 22, while Grace Harris chipped in with 2 for 22, as UPW slipped from a strong position to post a modest 143 for eight.
Harris then made the chase a one-sided affair. The Australian unleashed a blistering 75 off just 37 deliveries, ensuring RCB romped home with 41 balls to spare. The emphatic victory lifted RCB to 12 points, confirming a top-of-the-table finish in the five-team competition. In contrast, UP Warriorz were left rooted to the bottom with four points and the poorest net run-rate, their campaign hanging by a thread despite having a game in hand. Harris set the tempo early, targeting Kranti Gaud in the powerplay and plundering five boundaries in the third over alone. She reached her half-century in just 28 balls, lifting Asha Sobhana over long-on, and dominated a 108-run stand with captain Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana played the perfect supporting role, bringing up a classy fifty off 26 balls. Although Harris was eventually bowled by Shikha Pandey while attempting to work a cross-seam delivery, the result was already beyond doubt, with only 36 runs needed and plenty of overs left. Earlier, UP Warriorz had looked well placed thanks to Deepti Sharma’s fluent 55 off 43 balls, her first fifty of the season. Deepti and Meg Lanning put on their best opening stand of the campaign, adding 72 in just 49 balls. However, once Lanning fell, the innings lost momentum. From a comfortable 74 without loss after eight overs, UPW slumped to 103 for four as de Klerk and Harris tightened the screws through the middle phase. De Klerk removed Lanning and trapped Amy Jones lbw, before Harris struck in consecutive overs to dismiss Harleen Deol and Chloe Tryon, swinging the contest decisively in RCB’s favour.
