The first night of the WPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru wasn’t perfect, but skipper Smriti Mandhana was thrilled to have a thrilling game. Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, and Ellyse Perry led their middle order to a stunning score of 202, which the reigning champions had to chase after they had amassed the fourth-highest total in WPL history.
Even though Smriti Mandhana was out for nine in the second over, she praised her teammates for taking the initiative.
Following the game, Mandhana remarked, “It was amazing to watch.” It clicked today, which I’m quite delighted about because Ahuja and Ghosh have been doing this in the nets for the previous week. We were aware that we were constantly in the game when the dew began to form. It was incredible how Richa and Pez (Perry) batted.
Ashleigh Gardner gave the Gujarat Giants a tremendous start with an incredible 79 off 37 balls before initially dismissing Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Mandhana.
But their fielding mishap—missed run-outs, overthrows, misfields, and lost catches—heavily affected their performance. Perry gave the RCB a vital 57 off 34, while Ghosh (64* off 27) and Ahuja (30* off 13) later altered the tide of the match.
Ghosh, who started cautiously and steadily with 15 off 12, credited pre-tournament match simulations for her composure under duress. “The plan was to take some time and assess the pitch,” she explained. “I thought that Ahuja and I might pursue the aim in a constructive manner. We benefited greatly from our practice sessions with head coach Luke Williams, sir.
Playing after a year-long injury layoff, Kanika Ahuja was excited for the match. “I’m overjoyed to return. “I was mentally aided by the rehabilitation and visualisations,” she stated.
Despite the absence of important players, Mandhana helped her young lady squad, although she acknowledged that lookouts and upgrades were required. Our top three wicket-takers from the previous season were gone, so we had to adjust. Our fielding and bowling need improvement, but our replacements performed admirably. “We’ll get back together before the next game,” she remarked.
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