RCB beat MI to reach their maiden WPL final: Stats
RCB defeated MI in the Eliminator of the 2024 Women's Premier League at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Friday. Notably, this is the first time RCB will play in the WPL final after missing out on the playoffs in the inaugural season. Ellyse Perry's heroics with the bat and the bowlers powered RCB to a five-run win over the reigning champions.
A look at the match summary
Batting first, RCB were reeling at 49/4 before Perry added 35 runs with Sophie Molineux. Later, Perry stitched a 42-run stand with Georgia Wareham. Courtesy of Perry's 66-run knock, RCB posted 135/6. It wasn't a comfortable chase for MI but the fifty-plus partnership between Harmanpreet Kaur and Amelia Kerr kept them in the hunt. However, they crumbled under pressure and lost by five runs.
A brilliant fifty from Perry
Perry was the lone warrior for RCB as she slammed a 50-ball 66 which allowed her team to post a paltry total of 135/6. This was the Australian all-rounder's second fifty of the ongoing season as she owns 312 runs from eight matches at an average of 62.4. She is the leading run-getter this season as she surpassed Meg Lanning's tally of 308 runs.
Outstanding effort from MI bowlers
MI were exceptional with the ball as they kept chipping away with wickets. The likes of Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Saika Ishaque scalped two wickets each. They never allowed RCB to dictate the terms of the match. Matthews and Sciver-Brunt gave away only 18 runs each from their four overs, respectively. While Ishaque went for 27 runs from her three overs.
A slow start from MI batters
MI were uncharacteristically conservative during the powerplay overs. They only managed to score 37 runs in the first six overs. In the fourth over, Shreyanka Patil dismissed Matthews. Both Matthews and Yastika Bhatia were extremely slow which swayed the momentum in RCB's favor, eventually resulting in their win. The slow start piled up pressure on MI's middle order batters.
A solid partnership between Harmanpreet and Kerr
Kerr walked into the middle when MI were 68/3 in 10.4 overs. She joined forces with Harmanpreet and the duo added 52 runs from only 44 balls. Harmanpreet took the initiative in a partnership while Kerr played a more supportive role.
RCB bowlers held their nerves to restrict MI
RCB bowlers were brilliant from the outset as they gave nothing away to MI. Shreyanka was the pick of the bowlers for RCB as she finished with figures of 2/16 from her four overs. Meanwhile, Perry, Molineux, Sobhana Asha and Wareham scalped a wicket each. Molineux was exceptional as she also gave away only 16 runs from her four overs.
Harmanpreet Kaur finishes with 268 runs in WPL 2024
Harmanpreet was MI's best player, scoring 33 from 30 balls. Her wicket in the 18th over switched the momentum in RCB's favor. As per ESPNcricinfo, Harmanpreet finished with 268 runs from 7 matches at 53.6. She owns a strike rate of 141.05.
