Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja’s partnership powers RCB to highest successful chase in WPL history

It’s time for the festivities to get underway as the cricketing action in the 3rd edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) takes centerstage and the world waits in anticipation, as the five skippers Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians), Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals), Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz), and Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants) enter the battlefield to claim the ultimate WPL crown.

Gujarat Giants led by the new skipper Ashleigh Gardner were making their debut on home turf at the Kotambi Stadium, in Vadodara against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru led by skipper Smriti Mandhana in the opening game of the 3rd edition of the tournament.

A WPL delight for the Debutants

The opening game of the much-anticipated 3rd edition of the tournament had as many as 9 debutants taking the field for the first time in the WPL at the Kotambi Stadium, in Vadodara.

The home side had as many as five debutants – Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam, Sayali Satghare, Deandra Dottin, and Simran Shaikh – making their respective debuts in the tournament. The defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the other hand, also had four debutants namely, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bisht, Prema Rawat, and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge.

Ashleigh Gardner leads from the front with a blistering 79* as Giants post 201

The Gujarat Giants openers Laura Wolvaardt and former skipper Beth Mooney got their side off to a positive start with a 35-run opening partnership after the RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to field first at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. Renuka Singh ended Wolvaardt’s scratchy stay at the crease in the 5th over of the innings to provide the first breakthrough for RCB. Dayalan Hemalatha soon followed her back to the pavilion to provide the 2nd breakthrough for the defending champions.

Wicket-keeper Beth Mooney led the recovery alongside skipper Ashleigh Gardner courtesy of a much-needed 44-run partnership for the 3rd wicket. Prema Rawat provided the much-needed 3rd breakthrough by removing an ominous Beth Mooney (56 off 42 balls) in the 12th over of the innings. She completed her 4th WPL half-century before getting dismissed.

https://x.com/wplt20/status/1890416178108997759?t=a8zVB6xftwDfL9C4iZDdxQ&s=19

Deandra Dottin joined skipper Ashleigh Gardner at the crease and the duo powered the home side past the 150-run mark with a blazing 67-run partnership for the 4th wicket. Renuka Singh returned and removed the dangerous Deandra Dottin (25 off 13 balls) to provide a crucial 4th breakthrough for her side. The Giants posted their joint-highest total in the WPL breaching the 200-run mark (201/5) in their quota of 20 overs on the back of a blockbuster finish from skipper Ashleigh Gardner (79* off 37 balls), Simran Shaikh (11 off 5 balls), and Harleen Deol (9* off 4 balls).

The big three, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, and Deandra Dottin made a massive contribution of around 80% of the team’s total. Renuka Singh Thakur (4-0-25-2), and Kanika Ahuja (3-0-19-1) were the stand-out performers with the ball for RCB.

Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja power the defending champions over the line

Defending a massive total of 202, skipper Ashleigh Gardner got Giants off to a dream start removing both the openers Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge in the 2nd over of the run chase. Raghvi Bisht joined Ellyse Perry at the crease and the duo steadied the ship with a much-needed 86-run partnership for the 2nd wicket to take their side to the 100-run mark. Deandra Dottin broke the dangerous stand by removing Raghvi Bisht (25 off 27 balls) in the 11th over of the innings to provide the 3rd breakthrough for the home side.

Sayali Satghare picked up the big scalp of Ellyse Perry (57 off 34 balls) in the 13th over of the innings to provide the 4th breakthrough for her side. Richa Ghosh was dropped when she was on 0, and she took the full toll of the opportunity and took the game away in no time alongside Kanika Ahuja (30* off 13 balls), smashing a blazing unbeaten half-century (64* off 27 balls) to take her side over the line with 6 wickets in hand and nine balls to spare.

Skipper Ashleigh Gardner (3-0-33-2), Sayali Satghare (4-0-44-1), and Deandra Dottin (3.3-0-41-1) were the only wicket-takers with the ball for the home side. Wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh (64* off 27 balls) was awarded the Player of the Match for her game-changing innings with the bat for her side in the tournament opener of the 3rd edition of the tournament to kickstart the new season on a high.

Loves all things female cricket

Related Articles