Royal Challengers Bangalore eye their maiden win against high-flying UP Warriorz

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have so far had a tough time as they are still to register their maiden win of the WPL. They came the closest to the finish line on Monday when the team rallied together to fight it out against the Delhi Capitals, only to concede in the dying embers of the game.

Ellyse Perry seemed to be in seraphic touch, starting exactly from where she left against the UP Warriorz while Richa Ghosh came out all guns blazing as she hammered her way against the hapless Delhi bowlers, smashing a crucial 37 from just 16 balls.

The bowlers did try and throw a spanner in the works of the Capitals but once again lack of required wickets helped DC to walk away with the bragging rights in the end. A major problem for the Challengers has been the lack of strikes from their experienced bowlers. 

The inability to shatter partnerships is what has really thrown RCB at the deep end and at the moment there doesn’t seem like any solution to the issue. If RCB are to turn the tide around in their favour, they will need unified efforts from their bowling unit. Their batting which seemed off its element in the initial games is coming back to shape but once again bowlers form a crucial part of the game and unless that problem is solved, things will continue to look blurry for the Challengers.

The Warriorz, on the contrary, have drifted in and out of form but will try and showcase their firepower against a struggling RCB. They have the illustrious likes of on-song all-rounders on their side and the kind of key elements that usually flips the game in a team’s favour is very much present. However, the lack of consistency is what has plagued their season so far. Taking lessons from the last fixture between these two sides, a lot will have to be done by the Challengers in order to secure their maiden point of the tournament.

Key player battles:

Ellyse Perry vs Tahlia McGrath

Ellyse Perry has proven to be the most instrumental player of the RCB side and as things stand she will continue to lead the choices for Smriti as she has proven a significant moniker with the willow in her hands leading the lines for RCB in the last couple of games with the bigger knocks that came on the back of well-knitted 30s in the wee days of the tournament. Tahlia McGrath, too, is one of the finest that women’s cricket has to offer now and given her all-round flair, this is definitely going to be a battle to savour.

Sophie Devine vs Shabnim Ismail

Sophie Devine has got the required starts but somehow has failed to produce that an all-important masterclass that she is usually connected with. She can deliver both with the bat and the ball if needed but is predominantly a significant force with her willow. Her presence in any line-up ensures that she can be the game-changer if she gets going. Shabnim Ismail is one of the most feared pacers in the international circuit and in order for RCB to pile up a big knock, the speedster will be a major obstacle in their way. 

Richa Ghosh vs Sophie Ecclestone

Richa Ghosh came back to life in the preceding contest where she took Delhi Capitals for a ride. If she continues to be in the blistering form that she finds herself in the midst of, it will be challenging for the opposition to reel her back in. Sophie Ecclestone, UP’s premier all-rounder, can change the game almost single-handedly both with the bat and the ball in her hands. She has this knack of stitching together a crucial partnership while she can also get the all-important wickets whenever her team needs her to deliver.

Match Details:

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs UP Warriorz

Venue: Dr. DY Patil Sports Stadium, Navi Mumbai

Date: 15th March, 2023

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Erin Burns, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Shobana, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk, Preeti Bose, Poonam Khemnar, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt, Sahana Pawar

UP Warriorz:

Alyssa Healy (c), Deepti Sharma (vc), Sophia Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Shabnim Ismail, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Kiran Navgire, Grace Harris, Devika Vaidya, Lauren Bell, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Shweta Sehrawat, S. Yashasri, Simran Shaikh.