The upcoming match promised to be a nail-biter. GG struggled in their pursuit of a low score. However, during the ninth over, Gardner of GG faced off against Rawat of RCB and scored three fours and a six, shifting the momentum decisively in favor of GG. This transformed what was once a challenging chase into an easy victory for the team from Bengaluru.
The most recent game resulted in RCB remaining winless at home for the third time this season. As a result, three teams – RCB, GG, and UP Warriorz – all have four points. This sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the group stage in Lucknow and Mumbai next week.
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Perry’s infrequent disappointment
Despite entering the tournament with a nagging hip injury, Ellyse Perry’s recent batting performances did not show any signs of discomfort. However, her luck ran out when she was caught by Tanuja Kanwar at square leg off her fourth ball, resulting in her first duck in the WPL. This dismissal followed Danni Wyatt-Hodge being LBW to Deandra Dottin in the opening over, leaving RCB at 16 for 2 after two overs.
Gautam brings the heat, while Mandhana falls flat.
Smriti Mandhana had a tough time at the crease, constantly challenged by 21-year-old Kashvee Gautam, one of the most promising Indian fast bowlers in WPL 2025. Despite her difficulties with Gautam’s late movement, Mandhana only managed to score four runs off her first two overs. This pressure eventually resulted in a wicket for Harleen Deol when Mandhana attempted her usual slog-sweep against Kanwar and was caught at deep midwicket after facing 20 balls for her score of 10.
Ahuja propels forward with momentum
During her time at rehabilitation for a back injury last year, Kanika Ahuja established specific objectives for herself. She was determined to shed the label of being a “five-ball batter” in the WPL. As evidenced on Thursday when she faced off against legspinner Priya Mishra, she honed her power game through dedicated effort.
As she faced the googly, her confident approach and elegant lofted shots, which included the first six runs of the innings, revealed how much she had improved. She continued this impressive display just two overs later against Gardner. Despite her solid 33 off 27 balls, she eventually fell victim to Kanwar, adding to RCB’s troubles. A quick cameo from Georgia Wareham (20 runs) contributed to their final total of 125 for 7, tied for their lowest score in the WPL.
Renuka instills hope in RCB.
In their fifth game, GG switched up their opening combination once again. Dayalan Hemalatha was the newest addition to this ever-changing lineup, but unfortunately, she failed to impress with scores of 9, 0, and 4 in her previous three innings. Although she was given a second chance when Wyatt-Hodge dropped a catch at mid-off, she was ultimately dismissed for 11 after attempting a big shot off Renuka Singh’s bowling. The decision to have Mandhana bowl Renuka in the beginning paid off when Beth Mooney was caught at deep midwicket, resulting in GG being reduced to 32 for 2 by the seventh over.
Gardner hits his first shot on the golf course.
Rawat’s lack of experience proved costly for GG in the ninth over when Gardner took advantage of the variation in her bowling angles to hit a massive 19 runs. Gardner confidently utilized her skills, pulling off powerful shots and driving with precision when faced with slower deliveries. This sudden shift in momentum was so significant that Deol’s bold attempt to attack against Wareham did not rattle the team.
Litchfield sweeps to victory with a reverse shot.
In her second game of the competition, Phoebe Litchfield showed great awareness and skill by executing a series of reverse sweeps to counter Sneh Rana’s aggressive play. This helped bring down the required rate quickly. Additionally, she got a bit of luck when Richa Ghosh dropped her on 11 runs while GG needed 39 off 42 balls.
Despite the impact of Gardner’s tempo and adventurousness, she continued to dominate the game. In fact, with her third half-century of the season, off just 28 balls, she helped Gardner and Litchfield secure a 51-run partnership in only 36 deliveries. This ultimately resulted in a win with 21 balls remaining, significantly boosting GG’s net run-rate despite their fifth place standing.
