Smriti Mandhana's maiden WPL fifty goes in vain as RCB lose 6 wickets for 18 runs, DC win by 25 runs

Delhi Capitals (DC) ended Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) winning run with a comfortable 25-run victory. Skipper Smriti Mandhana's maiden Women's Premier League (WPL) half-century went in vain as RCB lost too many wickets in the slog overs. After Shafali Verma’s fifty, Marizanne Kapp’s all-round show helped DC dominate proceedings despite Mandhana’s blazing start in front of her home crowd. 
 

Shafali makes RCB pay

Earlier, DC skipper Meg Lanning won the toss and opted to bat first. Shafali Verma was given an early reprieve as her catch was dropped by Shreyanka Patil in the first over. While Shafali attacked, Lanning struggled to score. She handed an easy catch and departed after scoring 11 runs from 17 balls. Shafali ended the powerplay overs on a high. DC were 45/1 after six overs.
 

In-form Alice Capsey attacked as well. At the halfway stage, DC were 84/1. Shafali hit Patil for two consecutive sixes to reach her half-century from 30 balls. But the opener took too many risks and departed after reaching the milestone. In the next over, Devine dropped an easy catch of Capsey. In the same over Nadine de Clerk dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues for a four-ball duck.

Kapp, Jonassen’s cameo take DC to big total

Marizanne Kapp hit a six off the third ball she faced. In her next over, De Klerk struck again to dismiss Capsey. The England batter scored 46 runs from 33 balls including four fours and a couple of sixes. In her final over, De Klerk erred and Kapp smashed her for two sixes and a four. Jess Jonassen targetted Asha Sobhana and hit three fours and a six in the 18th over. In the penultimate over, Kapp departed for a 16-ball 32. Arundhati Reddy hit a couple of fours as well. Jonassen ended the innings with a six to take DC's score to 194/5. She remained unbeaten for 36 off 16 balls.

Mandhana dominates in powerplay overs

RCB's run chase got off to an ideal start. Devine faced just eight balls in the powerplay overs to score six runs. Mandhana made the most of the fielding restrictions scoring 45 runs from 28 deliveries during the period. She reached her maiden WPL fifty from 32 balls. Devine broke the shackles hitting Minnu Mani for two consecutive sixes in the same over. But Devine could not carry on. Reddy dismissed her in the ninth over. The New Zealand batter scored 23 runs from 17 balls in the 77-run partnership.

RCB suffer collapse

After a slow start, Sabbhineni Meghana smashed Radha Yadav for a six in the 11th over. Mandhana hit a six off Kapp before getting out the next ball. Kapp got the better of the RCB skipper with a slower ball. Her 43-ball 74 featured 10 fours and three sixes. After two quiet overs, Richa Ghosh hit Reddy for two consecutive sixes. Kapp came back into the attack and dismissed the wicketkeeper-batter who scored 19 runs from 13 balls. 

In the next over, Shikha Pandey ended her quota of overs with Wareham's wicket. In the last two overs, RCB needed 40 runs. Meghana started with two boundaries and got run out of the next delivery. She scored 36 runs from 31 balls. On the next delivery, De Clerk got out in an attempt to clear the boundaries. Reddy would have got another wicket but Radha Yadav and Lanning wasted the chance as the ball landed between them. In the final over, Jonassen took three wickets and conceded just two runs. DC managed to post 169/9 and lost the match by 25 runs.
 

MORE ON SPORTS TAK: 

Big News: France's World Cup-winning star footballer slapped with four-year ban for doping

Bajrang Punia opts out of WFI selection trials and files joint petition in court, says ‘how can a suspended body announce…’