'It was an Ellyse Perry night' - Anjum Chopra opens up as RCB march into WPL playoffs

The Royal Challengers Bangalore qualified for the WPL 2024 Eliminator with a seven-wicket win over the Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday. All-rounder Ellyse Perry was in top form, picking up 6-15 and then scoring an unbeaten 40, as RCB chased down the 114-run target with 5 overs to spare. JioCinema and Sports18 WPL experts Anjum Chopra, Reema Malhotra, and Sushma Verma discussed Perry’s performance on ‘Match Centre Live’. Excerpts:

Anjum Chopra spoke on Perry’s all-round show: “Everyone was struggling to counter the swing, pace, and accuracy that Ellyse Perry is known for. Tonight, it came in the best way as RCB wanted their top all-rounder to deliver. I was surprised that Perry wasn’t used consistently in earlier games, not because she got a six-wicket haul tonight, it’s just the kind of bowler she is, you expect her to be used more. I think she was the fifth bowler to be introduced to the bowling line-up. Anyhow, it’s about getting those wickets. It was an Ellyse Perry night.”

Reema Malhotra spoke on Perry: “The great thing for RCB is that they’re learning from their mistakes. When they needed a clinical performance in all three departments, the team delivered. Perry is an experienced player and you hope that players like her step up in match-winning situations. I thought she alone was enough for RCB. She came and took six wickets, finished the game with the bat, and will now celebrate going to the play-offs.”

Sushma Verma spoke on Perry: “The way she was bowling, it was the ideal length for a fast bowler. She played on the batter’s mind by preparing the field for a possible bouncer, and then bowled on the ideal length. The slight movement of the ball to the inside was enough to cause wickets to fall. She took key wickets and deserves credit. As Reema said, she should remember this date and celebrate 'Perry Day!