‌WPL 2024 | Twitter reacts to Mandhana-Molineux spearheading RCB’s home domination to secure top spot 

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Royal Challengers Bangalore demolished Gujarat Giants on Tuesday to reach the top of the table with the same points haul as Mumbai Indians. Renuka Thakur’s brilliant opening spell coupled with Sophie Molineux’s three-fer was backed up by Mandhana’s terrific batting in a low-scoring chase. 

Brief Scores: Gujarat Giants: 107/7 (20) [Dayalan Hemalatha: 31(25), Harleen Deol: 22(31); Sophie Molineux: 4-0-25-3] lost to RCB: 110/2 (12.3) [Smriti Mandhana: 43(27), Sabbhineni Meghana: 36 (28); Ashleigh Gardner: 3-0-15-1]. 

The first-innings powerplay in the WPL 2024 has been producing at least a wicket in every match of the season and it was no different in RCB’s encounter against Gujarat Giants on Tuesday. Renuka Thakur struck early by cleaning up the opposition skipper Beth Mooney in the third over. After the Giants’ top three combined to face 27 dot balls inside the 30-run powerplay, Phoebe Litchfield’s struggle was ended by a brilliant Richa Ghosh stumping off Renuka. Veda Krishnamurthy and Herleen Deol followed suit within the next 22 deliveries to leave the scoreboard reflecting 50/4 after 11 overs. Subsequently, two overs after the second timeout, the RCB spin duo of Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux outwitted Ashleigh Gardner and Kathryn Bryce respectively, leaving Dayalan Hemalatha (31) battling alongside the lower order. With an occasional six coupled with strike rotation, she kept the scoreboard ticking and propelled the Giants scoreboard to 107/7 in 20 overs.

In response, Smriti Mandhana adopted a gung-ho approach with 13 runs off the first over. Failing in the attempt to join her skipper, Sophie Devine threw away her wicket to Ashleigh Gardner in the fourth over. Unbothered by the dismissal, Mandhana continued her flawless assault, gathering 47 runs inside the powerplay. Sabbhineni Meghana accompanied her for a 40-run second wicket stand before Mandhana was caught and bowled off Tanuja Kanwar in the ninth over.  With 36 runs to accumulate with almost double the balls remaining, Ellyse Perry and Meghana completed the cakewalk without any hiccups to seal a comprehensive win and equal the points tally of the defending champions.

Superb

B2B

What a win

It's coming home!

Big win

Energy peaked

Table toppers

Domination

Consecutive wins

Queendom



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