WPL: Gujarat Giants captain Sneh Rana was "short of words" following his team's eight-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Following her team's eight-wicket defeat to Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League (WPL), Gujarat Giants skipper Sneh Rana observed that "she is short of words" and that her team's bowling was lacking.
Sophie Devine's explosive half-century and 125-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Gujarat Giants by eight wickets in a Women's Premier League (WPL) match at Brabourne Stadium on Saturday. "I'm at a loss for words right now. But this is exactly what occurs in a game of cricket. We had a solid total but were unable to achieve it with the ball.
I believe we underperformed in the bowling department, which lost us the game. We sent Sabbhineni Meghana down the order because she is an explosive batter and we felt she could score quick runs. "I think we need to get out of this game, but we'll come back stronger," Rana said after the game. GG put on a total of 188/4 on the board after choosing to bat first. Opener Laura Wolvaardt hit 68 off 42 balls, including nine fours and two sixes.
She shared a 52-run third-wicket stand with all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, who also scored 45 off 26 deliveries, including six fours and a six. RCB's spinner of choice was Shreyanka Patil (2/17). Sophie Devine and Preeti Bose each got a wicket. RCB got off to a flying start, chasing 189. Smriti Mandhana (37) and Devine put on a 125-run opening partnership in just 56 balls. Devine scored 99 points in 36 games. Her stroke featured nine fours and eight sixes.
After the openers were dismissed, Ellyse Perry (19*) and Heather Knight (22*) led their side to victory. With two wins and five losses in seven matches, the explosive run-chase has helped RCB rise to fourth place in the points standings. They have four points in total. In the points table, GG and RCB have comparable numbers, but RCB has a higher run rate.
Devine was named 'Player of the Match' for her hit. Her match-winning contribution propelled her to the top of the ranking of run scorers. She has 266 runs at an average of 38.00 in seven contests. She has two half-centuries in the competition, with a best of 99. In WPL 2023, her strike percentage is 175.00. Gujarat Giants: 188/4 in 15.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 63, Ashleigh Gardner 41, Shreyanka Patil 2/17) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: 189/2 in 15.3 overs (Sophie Devine 99, Smriti Mandhana 37, Sneh Rana 1/25).
