"Box office" - Fans erupt as Richa Ghosh smashes 62 off 37 balls in the RCB-W vs UP-W 2024 WPL game
Richa Ghosh starred with the bat for the Royal Challengers Bangalore Women (RCB-W) against the UP Warrioz-Women on Saturday, February 24. Her stunning knock came during the second game of the ongoing 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Ghosh walked in when RCB-W were reduced to 54/3 and then played till the 19th over. The 20-year-old was 16 off 16 at one point before she unleashed herself, reaching her fifty off 31 balls. The right-handed batter smashed 62 runs off 37 balls at a strike rate of 167.57, with the help of 12 boundaries.
She also put on a 71-run partnership with Sabbhineni Meghana for the fourth wicket. Ghosh was eventually chopped on by Deepti Sharma while trying to play a pull scoop.
Richa had smashed 96 against Australia in the recently concluded ODI series in January. She will now look to continue her sublime form and continue to make amends following her below-par season last year. She had managed 138 runs in eight games last year.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) lauded Richa for her excellent performance in RCB’s opening game at 2024 WPL. One user wrote:
Here are some more reactions:
Richa Ghosh and Sabbhineni Meghana help RCB-W set 158-run target for UP-Warriorz
Half-centuries from Richa Ghosh and Sabbhineni Meghana helped RCB-W post 157/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Meghana scored 53 off 44 deliveries in an innings laced with six and seven boundaries.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad starred with the ball for UP-W, returning with figures of 2/24 in her four overs. Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone, and Deepti Sharma bagged one wicket apiece.
In the mid-innings break, Meghana lauded Ghosh, saying that she tried to give her the maximum strike to maximize RCB-W’s total. She said:
“I was trying to give her (Richa Ghosh) maximum strike so that she could play till the 20th over.”
Meghana also looked excited to have scored a half-century, citing that she tried to utilize the powerplay overs. She said:
“It's a great feeling to score a fifty for RCB. There is a lot of hard work and practice behind it. I was a little nervous initially, but I calmed down later. The plan was simple, just wanted to utilize the powerplay. Wanted to score as many runs as possible in the powerplay.”
Follow the RCB-W vs UP-W live score and updates here.