Bengaluru, Feb 25 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana struggled to hide her disappointment after her team fell agonizingly short in a dramatic Super Over clash against UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday.
The thrilling contest, which marked the first-ever Super Over in WPL history, saw UP Warriorz hold their nerve to claim a stunning four-run victory in front of a packed Bengaluru crowd. “Disappointing to be on the losing side today. Did a lot of things right, throughout the batting and the bowling innings. These things happen, we will take it and come back stronger,” said Mandhana after the match.
Chasing a challenging target of 181, the Warriorz had a fiery start thanks to Kiran Navgire’s explosive stroke play, before falling for a rapid 24 off 12 balls. Despite Deepti Sharma (25) and Shweta Sehrawat’s (31) efforts to steady the innings, RCB’s bowlers —led by Sneh Rana and Renuka Singh — maintained relentless pressure.
Stepping in under immense pressure, Ecclestone took the game by the scruff of the neck. With 29 needing off the last two overs, Ecclestone smashed Georgia Wareham for two monstrous sixes. But with RCB tightening the screws and 18 runs required off the final over, the odds remained stacked against Warriorz.
Ecclestone, however, had other plans. She launched two more sixes off Renuka Singh, followed by a crucial four past backward point, bringing the equation down to one run off the last ball with a single on the very next delivery.
But in a dramatic twist, Kranti Goud failed to connect, and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh’s direct hit found Ecclestone short of her crease, triggering wild celebrations in the RCB camp. The match was heading for a historic Super Over. “I have been very positive throughout the tournament but went into a shell a little bit. We have a few days, we will work on it and come back stronger.”
Earlier, Elyse Perry’s unbeaten 90 and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge’s 57 helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru post 180. Her unbeaten 90 off just 50 balls anchored RCB to a commanding total.
She found support from England’s Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, who notched up her first fifty of the season with a fluent 57 off 41 balls. Together, the duo ensured RCB recovered from early jitters to post a competitive total.
“Always good to have Pez back bowling. An all-rounder like her, she is one of the greatest in women’s cricket. Brilliant to watch (her batting). As a team, really have to tell her sorry…how could we not win that game for her? Ekta, Sneh Rana – all the bowlers bowled extremely well. Sometimes, it does happen and we can take a lot of pride from that game. Things faltered towards the end, we will take that in our stride and come back stronger.”
Kim Garth was entrusted with the ball for RCB, while Chinelle Henry and Grace Harris took charge for UP Warriorz. Garth’s disciplined bowling restricted Warriorz to just eight runs, setting up a tense chase for RCB.
But Ecclestone was far from done. Given the responsibility of defending nine runs, she delivered a masterclass in pressure bowling. RCB’s chase faltered immediately as Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh struggled to find boundaries.
With six needed off the last ball, Ecclestone held her nerve, sending down a pinpoint yorker that allowed only a single, sealing a dramatic four-run victory for UP Warriorz.
–IANS
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