"A lot of hard work behind the scenes" - Smriti Mandhana after RCB's progress into WPL 2024 playoffs
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Smriti Mandhana has credited the squad, the support staff, as well as the team management for the side's revival in the 2024 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Following the disappointment in the inaugural season in 2023, where the franchise finished fourth in the points table with only two wins, there has been a significant improvement in the second time of asking. RCB sealed their progress into the playoffs following a thumping seven-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday, March 12.
RCB finished the league stage with eight points, two more than the fourth-placed UP Warriorz, and are likely to face the Mumbai Indians (MI) once again, in the Eliminator for a spot in the final.
"We couldn't step up and play the cricket we wanted to play [last year]. But yeah, last one year, a lot of thoughts have gone into this. A lot of hard work behind the scenes, not only from my side but all the support staff, and the RCB management. For them to show their faith in all of us was just amazing," Smriti Mandhana said after RCB's win over MI in Delhi.
"You know, the only conversation they had was that 'this is your team, make it the way you want to'. So that was really nice from their side to do that. And yeah, I wouldn't say that [this has been a] really satisfying campaign still, but we had a lot of ups and downs. We started off really well and then had a little bit of dip. But that's how WPL and T20 cricket is. You'll have good days and bad days," Mandhana added.
RCB kickstarted their campaign with consecutive wins in front of their home fans in Bengaluru. However, they faced a slight wobble in the middle phase of the campaign, losing four out of their next five matches, including a gut-wrenching one-run loss against DC.
"I was at mid-off and it was just a sight to watch" - Smriti Mandhana on Ellyse Perry's historic spell
Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry ran the show for RCB in their must-win encounter against MI, recording the WPL's first-ever six-wicket haul. She finished with figures of 6-15, decimating the MI batting unit, and then scoring an unbeaten 40 in the successful run chase.
"So definitely the way Perry bowled was just brilliant to watch. I was at mid-off and it was just a sight to watch, the way she was seaming the ball was really nice. And, yeah, I think we knew that the wicket is not that easy and we have to actually put in good work with the bat. I'm really happy with the way Richa and Pez [Perry] finished it," Smriti Mandhana said of Perry's all-round display.
The WPL 2024 Eliminator is scheduled to take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Friday, March 15.