RCB-W aim to strengthen quest for playoffs spot with a win against Delhi Capitals

With a clear equation set in place for the Royal Challengers Bangalore Women that wins from their next two games will guarantee them a spot in the playoffs, the Smriti Mandhana-led side will first lock horns against Delhi Capitals in match 17 of the ongoing edition of WPL 2024. 

Delhi are currently on second spot on the points table with eight points from seven matches while RCB are in the third spot with six points from six matches with a superior run-rate to their closest pursuer, UP Warriorz, who are on level pegging in terms of points.

RCB-W will be coming to this fixture on the back of a defeat against Gujarat Giants. Despite a solid show from Georgia Wareham and a fine start from Smriti Mandhana, the collective effort couldn’t really garner the desired momentum as they fell short of the finish line in the end.

Delhi Capitals will be coming to this fixture on the back of a defeat against UP Warriorz. They fell short of the finishing line by a solitary run despite chasing a very modest total. Radha Yadav and Titas Sadhu were stellar with the ball but Meg Lanning’s solo efforts ran ashore as she couldn’t garner any support from the other end.

This is a crucial match for both the teams as a win for Delhi will confirm their berth for the play-offs while a victory for RCB will allow them to go on level points with the Capitals, further strengthening their quest for a spot in the Top 3.

Key player battles:

Smriti Mandhana vs Jess Jonassen

Mandhana continues to be the leading run scorer for RCB with 243 runs, which have come at a breezy rate of 153.79. Riding on the fine starts provided by the southpaw, RCB-W have put on a show with the bat. Her primary contest in the ranks of Delhi Capitals will be none other than Jess Jonassen, who has already clinched 10 wickets while registering a miserly economy rate of 5.93.

Ellyse Perry vs Radha Yadav

Perry’s recent form that saw her cracking car windows and the spirits of bowlers alike will obviously be making her a name to watch out for. She currently has smashed 157 runs at a strike rate of 131.93. Even though she is yet to get a wicket, yet her all-round prowess makes her one of the leading acts in the RCB echelons. Radha Yadav is the joint leading wicket taker for Delhi with 10 scalps to her name and she will continue to be a constant threat for RCB given her knack for wickets and a frugal E/R of 6.44 and her ability to choke up the runs in the middle overs.

Sophie Molineux vs Meg Lanning

For RCB, Sophie Molineux has been pretty handy with the ball in her hand, providing timely breakthroughs which has left the oppositions rattled. With her current haul of seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.77, she will make a perfect match against the hard-hitting Meg Lanning, who is currently the leading run-getter for DC with 261 runs at a strike rate of 124.48.

Match Details:

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi

Date: 10th March, 2023

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Smriti Mandhana (c), Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry*, Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine*, Georgia Wareham*, Kate Cross*, Ekta Bisht, Shubha Satheesh, S Meghana, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux*, Nadine de Klerk*

Delhi Capitals:

Jemimah Rodrigues, Meg Lanning (cap), Shefali Verma, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Marizanne Kapp, Titas Sadhu, Alice Capsey, Laura Harris, Minnu Mani, Jess Jonassen, Taniya Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Sneha Deepthi, Arundhati Reddy.