WPL 2024, Match 19: Mumbai Indians Women vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Women, Nineteenth Match - Who Said What?

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women (RCB-W) qualified for the knockout stages of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 as they beat Mumbai Indians Women (MI-W) by seven wickets in Match 19 on Tuesday, March 12 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. After being asked to bat first by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, Mumbai were bundled out for just 113 in their allotted 20 overs.

Ellyse Perry was the star of the show for RCB as she registered the best-ever figures of WPL history scalping six wickets and giving away just 15 runs in four overs. In the second innings, they got off to a shaky start losing Sophie Molineux (9 off 9), Mandhana (11 off 13) and Sophie Devine (4 off 2) cheaply and were left reeling at 39/3 after 6.1 overs.

Also Read: Reasons Explained: Why green tree symbols are being displayed for dot balls bowled in RCB versus MI WPL 2024 match

However, Perry took the onus with the bat as well scoring 40* (38) and got involved in a 76-run stand with Richa Ghosh (36* off 28) to take RCB over the line in 15 overs. Earlier in the day, after being put in to bat first, Mumbai got off to a good start with openers Hayley Matthews (26 off 23) and Sajeevan Sajana (30 off 21) adding 43 runs for the first wicket off 36 balls. Their crucial stand was broken by Sophie Devine who drew first blood for her side in the sixth over by dismissing Matthews.

Ellyse Perry also joined the party in the ninth over and destroyed the stumps of Sajana and Mumbai Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (0 off 1) off consecutive deliveries to leave MI on 65/3. The Australian all-rounder was on a stump-shattering spree as she further broke the timber of Amanjot Kaur (4 off 2), Pooja Vastrakar (6 off 10) and got Nat Sciver-Brunt (10 off 15) lbw to register the best bowling figures in WPL history (6/15). Courtesy of her spell, MI were bundled out for 113 in 19 overs.

Also Read: Ellyse Perry creates history with best bowling figures in WPL history

Here’s what the two captains and the Player of the Match said after the game:

Losing Captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, Mumbai Indians, said:

She (Perry) bowled really well today. None of us took the responsibility to bat deep today. We tried our best, unfortunately we dropped some chances. Our bowlers were giving their 100 percent, score was not enough on the board. None of us batted according to the way she was bowling. She bowled really well and we should give credit to her. Today's game will teach us a lot of things. We will sit together and see how we have to make our plan for the next game.

Winning Captain, Smriti Mandha, Royal Challengers Bangalore, said:

The last match losing by one run is not ideal, the whole conversation was that 1 run doesn't make us a bad team. We had actually played some good cricket this season and just needed to keep our head high. They did have a good start, but there was little calmness with the group today from the time we had our meeting and it was a brilliant spell (from Perry) to watch. Today's match was very important for us to get going, we wanted to come out and play good cricket and for Perry to come back and take those 6 wickets, wow that was some sight to watch. We didn't focus on other teams and other equations, we just wanted to win and glad everyone stepped up in the crucial match.

Player of the Match, Ellyse Perry, Royal Challengers Bangalore, said:

Nice to come out and play a great game with the girls, just really enjoyable. I really enjoyed bowling and did some work with coaches back home in the last 3 years. I just managed to find a good length and it did a little bit off the wicket. The games come thick and fast and I loved that partnership with Richa Ghosh and it was great to spend some time out there in the middle. We are getting used to conditions in Delhi and looking forward to play some good cricket here.