The fourth match of the Women’s Premier League 2023 (WPL 2023) witnessed a one-sided encounter between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Mumbai convincingly won the match chasing down the target of 156 runs with 34 balls to spare.
After winning the toss, RCB Skipper Smriti Mandhana opted to bat first. Mandhana and Sophie Devine got off to a flying start, scoring 11 runs off the first over. They looked in control with 35 runs on the board in the first four overs. However, the match took a sudden turn in the fifth over when Saika Ishaque removed Devine and Disha Kasat in quick succession, leaving RCB reeling at 39/2.
Things went from bad to worse for RCB in the next over when Hayley Matthews dismissed both Mandhana and Heather Knight in consecutive deliveries. The RCB captain was looking dangerous, scoring 23 runs off just 17 balls before being dismissed. With four wickets down for just 43 runs, RCB needed a partnership to steady the innings.
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Ellyse Perry provided some much-needed momentum to the RCB innings, scoring 13 runs off just seven balls before getting run out courtesy of a direct hit from Humaira Kaazi. However, the middle order failed to capitalize on the start, and RCB lost wickets at regular intervals. Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, Shreyanka Patil, and Megan Schutt all scored the 20s to help RCB reach a respectable total of 155/10 in their 20 overs.
Hayley Matthews was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai Indians, picking up three wickets for just 28 runs in her four overs. Saika Ishaque and Amelia Kerr took two wickets each, while Nat Sciver and Pooja Vastrakar managed to take a solitary wicket each.
Chasing a target of 156 runs, Mumbai Indians started their innings brilliantly with Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia going all guns blazing in the powerplay. They scored 45 runs in the first five overs, losing only Yastika at the end of the fifth over. From there on, it was a complete carnage by Matthews and Nat Sciver.
Matthews, who had already impressed with the ball earlier, was now in a devastating mood with the bat. She played an unbeaten inning of 77 runs off just 38 balls, including 13 fours and one six. She was ably supported by Nat Sciver, who played a blistering knock of 55* off just 29 balls, including nine fours and one six.
The RCB bowlers tried everything in their arsenal but failed to stop the MI batters. None of the RCB bowlers could make a dent in the MI batting lineup. MI chased down the target of 156 runs in just 14.2 overs, winning the match convincingly by 9 wickets.
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In conclusion, it was a dominating performance by Mumbai Indians, who outplayed RCB in all departments of the game. Hayley Matthews was the star of the match, producing a match-winning performance with both bat and ball. Mumbai Indians would be pleased with their performance, while RCB would have to go back to the drawing board and work on their batting and bowling strategies.
Mumbai Indians will be confident heading into their next match as they have won both their opening matches convincingly. They will look to continue their winning momentum and maintain their position at the top of the table. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be desperate to register their first win of the season after losing both their opening matches. They will need to work on their batting and bowling combinations to bounce back in the tournament.
WPL 2023: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Brief Score
RCB: 155 in 18.4 overs (R Ghosh 28; H Matthews 3-28) lost to MI: 159/1 in 14.2 overs (H Matthews 77*, Nat Sciver-Brunt 55*) by 9 wickets.
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