The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 witnessed an electrifying contest as UP Warriorz secured a thrilling 12-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The win not only marked a strong finish for UP Warriorz but also resulted in RCB’s elimination from the playoff race.
UP Warriorz sets a record total
After winning the toss, RCB opted to bowl first, hoping to restrict UP Warriorz to a manageable total. However, their bowlers struggled as UP Warriorz posted the highest total in the history of WPL – 225/5 in their 20 overs.
Georgia Voll was the star of the innings, narrowly missing out on a century as she smashed 99 not out off 56 balls, including 17 fours and a six. She found ample support from Kiran Navgire, who played a blistering knock of 46 off just 16 deliveries, striking two fours and five sixes. Grace Harris also made a significant contribution with 39 off 22 balls, hitting seven fours and one six.
Despite a few breakthroughs, RCB’s bowling unit had a tough time containing the onslaught. Georgia Wareham was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/43 in her four overs. But, the rest of the bowling attack, including Kim Garth, Renuka Thakur and Ellyse Perry, failed to pick up wickets, conceding runs at an expensive rate.
RCB’s brave chase falls short
Chasing a daunting target of 226, RCB Women showed resilience but ultimately fell short, getting bowled out for 213 in 19.3 overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh put up a valiant effort, scoring a blistering 69 off 32 balls with six fours and five sixes. Before Ghosh, Perry (28 off 15) and Sabbhineni Meghana (27 off 12) provided the visiting team an aggressive start.
Despite losing Smriti Mandhana early for just four runs, the middle and lower order fought hard, with Sneh Rana’s quick-fire 26 off six balls almost tilting the game in RCB’s favour. However, the required run rate kept climbing, and they eventually fell short by 12 runs.
Sophie Ecclestone was instrumental in restricting RCB’s chase. Ecclestone delivered a match-winning spell, taking 3/25 in her four overs, while skipper Deepti Sharma also picked up three wickets, albeit conceding 50 runs. Chinelle Henry chipped in with two wickets for 39 runs, while Anjali Sarvani (1/40) provided crucial support.
With 14 runs needed off the final over, Voll bowled three crucial deliveries, conceding just two runs and ensuring her team’s victory. Her all-round brilliance earned her the Player of the Match award.
Also READ: Mithali Raj reacts on Harmanpreet Kaur for her recent debacle with Sophie Ecclestone in WPL 2025
Final takeaway from the match
This thrilling encounter saw UP Warriorz finishing their campaign on a high, while RCB were knocked out of playoff contention. Voll’s exceptional performance with the bat made the difference in a high-scoring game. Despite the loss, RCB showcased fighting spirit, but their inconsistent bowling and inability to contain opposition batters proved costly.
UP Warriorz wins their last match on the home ground
Scorecard: #T20 #WPL2025 #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/6vxcwal4sq
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) March 8, 2025
Also READ: WPL 2025 – Here’s why UP Warriorz players were wearing pink jerseys in today’s match against RCB
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
