MI vs RCB Eliminator: Who won yesterday's match at WPL 2024?
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by five runs in yesterday's WPL 2024 Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. RCB will now face Delhi Capitals in the final on Sunday, March 17.
In a low-scoring thriller, Bangalore came from behind to knock the defending champions out of the competition. Batting first after winning the toss, they put up 135-6, with Ellyse Perry scoring 66 off 50.
In their chase, Mumbai seemed in control, needing only 20 off the last three overs with seven wickets in hand. However, spinners Shreyanka Patil (2-16), Sophie Molineux (1-16) and Asha Shobana (1-13) bowled three excellent death overs to stifle Mumbai's chase and restrict them to 130-6.
On the first ball of the 18th over, MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur (33 off 30) charged down the track and missed a tossed-up delivery from Shreyanka. Richa Ghosh, though, missed the stumping, as she failed to gather the ball.
RCB, though, did not have to pay a heavy price for the miss, as Harmanpreet holed out to long-on off the last ball of the over.
Only four runs came off the penultimate over bowled by Molineux, with Sajeevan Sanjana (1) stumped off the fifth ball. The equation came down to 12 off the last six deliveries. Asha did not concede a boundary off the first three balls before Pooja Vastrakar (4) was stumped off the fourth.
With seven needed off the last ball faced by Amelia Kerr (27* off 25), the RCB leg-spinner held her nerve and conceded only a single, confirming her team's entry into the WPL 2024 final.
Mumbai got off to a steady start in their chase but paid a heavy price for batters not converting starts. Hayley Matthews (15) was caught on the deep midwicket fence, trying to take on Shreyanka.
Perry then knocked out Yastika Bhatia (19)'s leg stump, while Nat-Sciver Brunt (23) was castled by a length ball from Georgia Wareham, following a failed attempt to work one on the leg side.
Ellyse Perry's 65 lifts RCB to fighting total
Batting first after winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a disastrous start, losing four wickets for 49 inside 10 overs. Sophie Devine (10) was knocked over by Matthews as she played down the wrong line, while captain Smriti Mandhana (10) holed out to deep cover off Sciver-Brunt.
A struggling Disha Kasat (0) was caught at cover point off Saika Ishaque. RCB then lost another big wicket as Ghosh (14) was caught at long-on, trying to go after Mathews. The seasoned Perry, though, held the innings together, striking eight fours and a six in a defiant knock under pressure.
A last-ball six from Wareham (18*) gave Bangalore some momentum heading into the break before their bowlers did the rest.
Who won Player of the Match in yesterday's MI vs RCB WPL 2024 Eliminator match?
Perry came up with another great all-round effort for RCB. After striking a half-century, she claimed the wicket of Bhatia. Shreyanka was exceptional with figures of 2-16 from four overs.
For MI, Matthews, Sciver-Brunt and Ishaque claimed two scalps each, while captain Harmanpreet top-scored in the chase with 33. However, Perry was named the Player of the Match for her fabulous all-round display.