Vadodara, Feb 14: Royal Challengers Bengaluru emphatically begin their title defense by completing the highest run chase against the Gujarat Giants in the history of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 at the Kotambi Stadium here on Sunday.

Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja’s unbeaten 93-run stand for the fifth wicket saw RCB score 202/4 in 18.3 overs, sealing a six-wicket win in the opening game of the tournament. The former scored 64 runs in just 27 deliveries at a strike rate of 237.3 whilst being fully supported by Kanika with her 13-ball blitz at a strike rate of 230.76.

After losing the toss and being put in to bat first, the Giants reached a massive score of 201/5 in the first innings with Captain Ashleigh Gardner leading the charge with a blistering 79 not out off 37 balls, featuring three boundaries and eight sixes at a strike rate of 213.51.

The Giants' early struggles were steadied by Beth Mooney who provided a solid foundation. Mooney reached 50 off 37 balls but was dismissed by debutant Prema Rawat. Gardner, taking charge, formed a 67-run partnership with Deandra Dottin. Gardner's onslaught took full form in the 15th over, where she hit three sixes off Prema. Her relentless power-hitting continued, with three more sixes off V.J. Joshitha to take her side to the tied-highest score posted by Gujarat in the tournament.

In reply, Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge came to the crease with a challenging chase ahead of them and started with much promise. The skipper scored two boundaries off the opening two deliveries against Kashvee Gautam with the latter scoring a boundary off her first ball faced as an RCB player later that over. Ashleigh continued her carnage by dismissing her counterpart as she came on to bowl the second over of the game and sent both openers back to the pavilion.

First Mandhana was caught plumb in front on the second delivery, which was confirmed after the Indian batter reviewed the umpire’s decision, and Wyatt-Hodge’s RCB debut came to an end in an underwhelming fashion when she was bowled over three deliveries later.

Whilst Elysse Perry, the 2024 WPL Orange Cap winner, kept the scoreboard moving with her sound batting, Raghvi Bist struggled to find the boundaries that saw the required run rate climb beyond 10. Perry continued from where she left off in the previous edition and raced her way to a half-century in 27 balls and reached the milestone in fashion, slamming a full toss for six off Deandra Dottin, which was deemed to be a no-ball after review.

Three deliveries later, Raghvi was forced to try and find the boundary after having scored 25 runs, at a strike rate of 92.59, and was caught by Sayali Satghare. Gujarat Giants got the all-important wicket.

Sayali went on to claim the most wanted scalp of Perry in the 12th over when a low full-toss saw the Aussie batter try and clear the ground but was caught at long-on. The home side, however, seemed to get a tad bit too complacent following there-on.

Richa Ghosh, who was dropped on 0, and Kanika Singh flew out of the floodgates. The former went head-on against Gardner and scored 23 runs, four boundaries, and a six, off the 16th over to drag RCB back into the chase. Kanika joined the hitting spree and scored two boundaries in the next over. Richa reached her fourth T20 half-century in just 23 deliveries with consecutive fours off Priya Mishra.

Gujarat Giants will be wondering what went wrong as they failed to capitalise and build pressure on RCB as many fielding errors and good batting led to a sudden turnaround. Richa went on to score 64 not out and sealed a six-wicket victory with nine balls to spare for the defending champions.

Brief scores:

Gujarat Giants 201/5 in 20 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 79 not out, Beth Mooney 56, Deandra Dottin 25; Renuka Singh 2-25, Kanika Ahuja 1-19,) lose to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 202/4 in 18.3 overs (Richa Ghosh 64*, Elysse Perry 57, Kanika Ahuja 30*; Ashleigh Garnder 2-33) by six wickets.

(IANS)

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