WPL, DC vs RCB | Twitter criticizes 'miserable' Mandhana for falling into Shikha Pandey’s trap

03/13/2023

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Even the greatest batters endure lengthy bad patches that lead them to receive hefty criticism. RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana is one who is going through a similar phase in the Women’s Premier League and many have reckoned her record-breaking price tag at the auction affected her performances.

Smriti Mandhana’s poor form in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) continued as she fell on Monday after scoring eight off 15 balls against Delhi Capitals in Match 11 of the competition in Mumbai. Mandhana began the innings with six successive dot balls and never seemed comfortable in the middle until she lost her wicket in the fifth over, bowled by Shikha Pandey.

The replay of Mandhana’s dismissal indicated that it was a well-set trap by Pandey, who wanted a player at deep square leg before coming to attack. And then she struck with the first ball by bowling a back-of-a-length delivery which Mandhana tried to loft over deep mid-wicket, only to find Jemimah Rodrigues well ahead of the boundary line.

Immediately after, Pandey, with a smile on her face, pointed towards Meg Lanning, suggesting that the job was done, while her teammates came towards her to congratulate her on the prized wicket. Twitterati, meanwhile, did not hold back to bash Mandhana, who led RCB to four successive defeats before coming to this fixture and made little impact with the bat to roar back in the competition.

Trapped her!

pic.twitter.com/IwHNXMWtFN
— WPL MAHARASTRA (@WMaharastra) March 13, 2023

Feild on point

Smriti Mandhana likes the pull shot but she did not get the elevation or distance right. Jemimah Rodrigues, her best friend in the national side, takes her out and Shikha Pandey has a wicket off her first ball. Field placement on point from Lanning. #WPL2023 | #TATAWPL
— Lavanya 🎙️🎥👩🏻‍💻 (@lav_narayanan) March 13, 2023

Nothing going your way!

Shikha Pandey has just one fielder on the leg side boundary & Smriti Mandhana found her to perfection

One of those things that happen when nothing is going your way#WPL2023
— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) March 13, 2023

Struggling

Mandhana who was struggling a bit playing stokes trapped by Shikha Pandey. #WPL2023
— Bhaskar Ganekar (@BhaskarGanekar) March 13, 2023

What a wagon wheel!

Smriti Mandhana 's wagon wheel in this WPL. #RCBvDC pic.twitter.com/HUqroPh66J
— A (@AppeFizzz) March 13, 2023

Through rough phase

Smriti Mandhana is going through rough phase of her cricket. Everyone has to face this. You'll surely come back. We believe in you. Best wishes and God bless you 🙏
— ℂ𝕣𝕚𝕔 𝔽𝕒𝕟 (@CricFan__) March 13, 2023

Day light robery

3.4 crore for such a mediocre talent like Mandhana. Day light robery. #RCB
— Anup (@Punkesta14) March 13, 2023

Falls cheaply

.@mandhana_smriti not finding the sweet spot of the bat or her form.

Falls cheaply once again 💔#RCBvDC #DCvsRCB #TATAWPL #WPL2023 @RCBTweets
— wicketscore (@wicketscore) March 13, 2023

Pandey rocks!

Whilst most of the Indian seam and swing bowlers have struggled, Shikha Pandey has been brilliant in this tournament .

What do you think has she done well in WPL? #TATAWPL
— shaping cricketers (@gnagesh32) March 13, 2023

Never seen that!