A Nail-Biting Finish at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
Sophie Ecclestone’s last-over fireworks and Super Over genius led UP Warriorz to an exciting victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), ending Ellyse Perry’s undefeated 90 in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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Cautious Start by RCB Openers
RCB openers Smriti Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge started cautiously, looking to settle in. UP Warriorz’ star bowler, Grace Harris, who had picked up a hat-trick in the previous match, began with a waist-high full toss that Wyatt-Hodge dispatched over the ropes.
Wyatt-Hodge was dropped at point early in her innings, though, as UPW’s fielding errors persisted. After battling against off-spin, Mandhana was bowled cleanly by Deepti Sharma, marking her 11th dismissal against off-spin in all WPL editions.
Perry Anchors RCB Innings with Aggressive Stroke Play
With Mandhana departing early, the responsibility fell on Perry. She hit two boundaries in her opening over against Sophie Ecclestone. Soon after, Saima Thakor took a six. Despite Perry’s aggressive intent, UPW bowlers maintained control, limiting RCB to 67/1 at the midway stage.
Perry and Wyatt-Hodge gathered momentum in the next four overs, blasting Deepti Sharma with a 14-run over. Perry brought up her half-century, while Wyatt-Hodge also reached the landmark with a huge six off Ecclestone. However, Wyatt-Hodge soon departed, slicing one straight to backward point.
Late Flourish drives RCB to 180/6
Richa Ghosh added quick runs before falling to Chinelle Henry, while Kanika Ahuja was run out by Uma Chetry. As the batting began to settle down, Perry renewed the charge, smashing 16 runs off Deepti Sharma after demolishing Tahlia McGrath in the previous over. Ecclestone, however, played a superb last over, surrendering just six runs as RCB finished at 180/6.
The Fantastic Start Kiran Navgire Had for UPW
Under Kiran Navgire’s leadership, Warriorz launched an aggressive pursuit. In a 16-run over, she destroyed Kim Garth and hit two boundaries off Renuka Singh Thakur. But at 24, Renuka castled her with a beautiful in-swinger, ending her innings.
Middle-Order Struggles for UPW
Deepti Sharma continued the attacking approach, taking Garth for 14 runs in an over. However, young Vrinda Dinesh’s poor run in the WPL continued as she fell cheaply, followed by Tahlia McGrath, who was dismissed for a duck by Sneh Rana.
Deepti ended her good innings with a counterattack, hitting two fours and a six against Rana before gloving one to the keeper. Uma Chetry and Shweta Sehrawat used deft sweep strokes to keep UPW in the chase. However, UPW was suffering at 123/7, requiring 57 runs, as the RCB bowlers continued to strike at regular intervals.
Ecclestone’s Magnificent Finish to Elevate the Match
RCB thought to have the match wrapped up when they dismissed Henry. But Sophie Ecclestone had other intentions. She hit consecutive sixes off Wareham to show her intention. Saima Thakor attempted a risky second run and was run out, but she joined in with another maximum.
Ecclestone hit a full toss over square leg and then another six over mid-wicket with 18 needed off the last over. The equation then became 2 off 2 after she sliced a ball to the fence for four more. She was run out on the final ball in a close game that forced a Super Over and tied the score at 180.
Super Over Drama: Ecclestone Confirms UPW’s Victory
When UPW batted first in the Super Over, Kim Garth’s superb bowling held them to just 8 runs. However, Ecclestone, having already stolen the show with the bat, delivered with the ball as well. She handed out just four runs, assuring UP Warriorz sealed their second victory of the season in a dramatic fashion.
Key Performances and Match Summary
Brief Scores:
- RCB: 180/6 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 90*, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 57; Tahlia McGrath 1-30, Chinelle Henry 1-34)
- UPW: 180/10 in 20 overs (Sophie Ecclestone 33, Shweta Sehrawat 31; Sneh Rana 3-27, Renuka Singh Thakur 2-36)
- Super Over: UP Warriorz 8/1 (Chinelle Henry 4, Sophie Ecclestone 1*) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 4/0 (Richa Ghosh 2*, Smriti Mandhana 2*) by 4 runs.
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Last Words: A Night to Remember for Ecclestone and UP Warriorz
The match at M Chinnaswamy will be remembered as one of the most thrilling encounters in WPL history. Ellyse Perry’s valiant 90* gave RCB a strong start, but Sophie Ecclestone’s all-around skill turned the tide of the match, leading UP Warriorz to an incredible victory in a nail-biting Super Over finale.
