RCB-W optimistic of shattering the MI jinx as last group stage match awaits

The last group stage fixture is all set to be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and it is going to be a clash of titans as RCB-W prepare to grab their play-offs spot with a win against the mighty Mumbai Indians.

With the UP Warriorz having lost to the Gujarat Giants, RCB’s path to the playoffs seems to have gotten easier but the Smriti Mandhana-led side will want to ensure no hiccups and earn their spot in the top three with a win. 

With Mandhana, Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry in form, the main lookout for the Royal Challengers Bangalore will certainly be their bowling unit that had looked somewhat modest of late. However, spearheaded by Renuka Singh, the tables may turn at any point in time.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have qualified for the play-offs already and will be hoping to close the group stages on a blaze of glory. They will be riding high on confidence as their captain Harmanpreet Kaur rocked and rolled with an ecstatic knock in the last game to help the defending champions make their second play-off in a row.

Key player battles:

Smriti Mandhana vs Shabnim Ismail

In a clash of the hard-hitting prolific RCB-W skipper and the speed demon hailing all the way from South Africa, stakes are going to be at an all-time high. Smriti still remains the leading run-scorer for RCB-W in this year’s WPL with 248 runs blasted at a strike rate of 150.3 while Shabnim Ismail is one of the leading wicket takers for MI with seven scalps next to her name. Whoever comes out on top in this clash can be the game-changer of this important fixture.

Richa Ghosh vs Nat Sciver-Brunt

Richa Ghosh has been scoring at a rate of 158.33 while her tally reads an impressive 190 runs so far in the ongoing edition of WPL. Her valiant 51 against Delhi Capitals is a burning ode to the bedazzling brilliance that she brings to the platter. As for MI, Nat Sciver-Brunt, one of the most experienced all-rounders can very well be the game-changer with her variations, and the battle of the duo in the middle overs will be one to watch out for.

Shreyanka Patil vs Harmanpreet Kaur

The Indian captain against a rising sensation provides the most perfect validation to the ever-burgeoning fandom for WPL. Harmanpreet Kaur seemed to be in her element against Gujarat Giants as she blasted a 48-ball-95 propelling them to a record-breaking victory. Kaur is also the leading run-scorer for MI in the latest edition of WPL as she has scored 235 runs while Shreyanka’s display against Delhi Capitals can make her a perfect opposition against the mighty Kaur. She has six wickets in her tally now and will be hoping to add more, after an impressive four-wicket haul against Delhi.

Match Details:

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Date: 12th March, 2023

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

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

Mumbai Indians:

Yastika Bhatia(w), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, S Sajana, Shabnim Ismail, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque, Chloe Tryon, Fatima Jaffer, Issy Wong, Humaira Kazi, Jintimani Kalita, Priyanka Bala, Amandeep Kaur