WPL24: RCB reach playoffs after Perry rattle MI with 6/15

  

Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League to reach the playoffs.  Batting first, Harmanpreet Kaur's team scored 113 runs.  In reply, Smriti Mandhana's team made 115 runs for 3 wickets in 15 overs.

 Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Mandhana decided to field after winning the toss.  However, Mumbai Indians could not use the opportunity to bat first.  Harmanpreet's team had to face a batting collapse due to the failure of the middle order even though the two openers did not start badly.  The Mumbai batters could not handle the ball from Bengaluru's Ellyse Perry.  As a result, Mumbai went from 65 for 1 wicket to 82 for 7 wickets in seven overs.  Nat Sciver Brant (10), Harmanpreet (zero), Amelia Kerr (2), Amanjyot Kaur (4), Pooja Vastrakar (6) went back to the dressing room one after the other.  All are victims of Perry.  Australia's 33-year-old all-rounder picked up 6 wickets for 15 runs seaming the ball around .  This is the first time a cricketer has taken 6 wickets in the Women's IPL.

 Before that, the two openers scored 43 runs in 6 overs for the first wicket pair.  Hayley Mathews made 26 off 23 balls.  2 fours and a six came from his bat.  Sajivan Sajna, the other opener who filled an indisposed  Yastika's spot , scored a sparkling 30 runs off 21 balls.  She hit 5 fours and 1 six. the After that, Perry showed her bowling skills .  Even the Mumbai batters could not handle the pressure created by the Aussie all-rounder.  Apart from Priyanka Bala, none of Harmanpreet's team could score double-digit runs in the end.  Bala the keeper playing for Yastika  remains unbeaten on 19 sensible runs. She hit 2 fours in 18 ball innings.  Mumbai's innings ended with 113 runs in 19 overs as Perry took 6/15 in a sensational spell . 

 Mandhana used eight bowlers on the day.  Mumbai's batters did not want to settle down.  Apart from Perry's 6 wickets, four others took 1 wicket each.  They are Sophie Molineux, Sophie Devine, Asha Shovana and Shreyanka Patel.

Chasing 114 runs for victory, Bengaluru were also under some pressure as they lost 3 wickets for 39 runs.  RCB  had little difficulty in getting the win as the target was low.  Two openers Mandhana (11 - caught behind off Sciver ) and Molineux (9) did not get runs. Batting at  number four, Devine (4) could not take advantage as she was bowled by Ismail .  Perry gave the team confidence with the bat after the ball.  Perry, who landed at number three, led the team's innings with Richa Ghosh.  Bengal's wicketkeeper-batter dropped to number five and batted coolly under pressure.  Perry-Richa's fourth-wicket partnership took Bengaluru's innings to victory.  Perry remained unbeaten with a skilful innings of 40 runs off 38 balls.  Hit 5 fours and 1 six.  Richa played an unbeaten innings of 36 runs off 28 balls and played her shots confidently after settling down .  Bengal cricketer hit 4 fours and 2 sixes.  Mumbai's most successful bowler Mathews took 1 wicket for 11 runs.