‌WPL2024 | Twitter reacts to Mandhana’s blitzkrieg in vain as Delhi all-rounders trump hosts

Brief Scores: DC: 194/5 (20) [Shafali Verma: 50 (31), Alice Capsey: 46 (33); Sophie Devine: 3-0-23-2] beat RCB: 169 /9 [Smriti Mandhana: 74 (43), Sabbhineni Meghana: 36 (31); Jess Jonassen: 4-0-21-3] by 25 runs

Being forced to bat first, Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning gave a stable start to the Capitals with the former scoring at a faster rate. The captain was kept under pressure by Renuka Thakur and Sophie Devine, thereby succumbing to the latter in the 5th over. Alice Capsey joined Verma to add 17 runs in the next seven deliveries to conclude a 45-run powerplay. The pair pressed the accelerator racking up 82 runs together from just 43 balls with the latter racing to a half-century before getting out to Shreyanka Patil. New batter, Jemimah Rodrigues followed suit in the next over with Capsey (46) getting outwitted for Nadine de Klerk’s second scalp in the 15th over. Just when the hosts tried to curb the run rate, Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen smacked the bowlers right, left, and center with lightning cameos to propel the Capitals to 194/5. 

In reply, the Bangalore-based unit got a high-flying start with Smriti Mandhana in the driving seat. The openers slammed 52 runs inside the field restrictions, of which Mandhana smashed 45 runs. Post-powerplay, the Devine switched gears with two gigantic sixes, joining the party with the skipper for a 77-run opening partnership before getting outsmarted by Arundhati Reddy’s poor full-toss. Eventually, Shabbineni Meghana was promoted to no.3 and played anchor to Mandhana’s 43-ball 74 assault before the southpaw was cleaned up by Marizanne Kapp for the scorecard reflecting 112/2 in 12 overs. Despite the RCB top-order setting the tone for a chase, the pressure of a hefty target crept up leaving them in quest of 40 runs off the final two overs. Subsequently, they lost five wickets for 14 runs with a runout and Jonassen’s three-fer, leaving them short of 25 runs in the end.

That was much needed wicket!

Back to normal!

Actually yes!

They choked it badly!

LOL!

No one owns the term WIN.

That was almost close!

Ohhh!!

'Saala eh dhukh kaye khatam nh hoti'

What?