🏏WPL 2026: Match 18: RCB W vs UP W at Vadodara on 29/01/26🏏 - Page 6

Nadine De Clerk reclaims the purple cap from Nandini Sharma.

(How she feels) Guess it is always nice to contribute. They got off to a flyer early, so picking up a couple of wickets to slow things down really helped. But overall, it was a great team effort. Every bowler chipped in, and we kept taking wickets through the innings to control the momentum. After they were 74 without loss, we’ll definitely take a total of around 140. I think the planning has been very good. We knew both batters were susceptible to the ball coming back in, so I tried using the scrambled seam to get it to hold and nip back. I probably got a bit lucky with Meg’s wicket - it didn’t quite land where I wanted it to - but that’s cricket sometimes.
(On her plans at the death) it’s about sticking to my strengths. We knew the short side boundary was really short, so the planning was clear. The captain led that really well, protecting the short side by bowling wider. It’s worked well for us over the last few games. With the longer boundary on the other side, the focus was on staying tight and bowling at the stumps. The bounce here can be a bit unpredictable, so keeping the stumps in play was key, and Trying to protect that short boundary (by bowling slow and wide) and bowling at the stumps (with the bigger boundary).

Second innings start:

Welcome back.. The last time these two teams played, RCB chased the same total and got there with almost 8 overs to spare. How will they do today? The top order has failed in the last couple of games and they need some runs under their belt before the big game. And, we are back. Harris and Mandhana to open, so no surprises there.

As has been the case so far in Vadodara, pace off has been effective, and apart from that one ball that stayed low to dismiss Harleen Deol, the bounce has been true. Batting hasn't been as challenging as it was at the start of the leg, and having already played two games on this surface, the RCB batters will have a better understanding of the conditions. They will be confident of gunning down this total and securing a direct entry into the final. Can UPW deny them that ticket? They will need early wickets to make a match out of this.

And RCB start the innings with a bang ‼️ first ball boundary

Harris on the charge: Harris is off to a flying start, and considering she hammered an 85 off 40 balls the last time she faced UP Warriorz, she looks well set for another fifty.

Shikha Pandey to Grace Harris, FOUR, straight down the ground.

UPW 143-8(20)

RCBW 62-0(5.3)

CRR:11.27

REQ:5.66

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women need 82 runs in 87 balls

RCB is fast tracking this match. Back to back boundaries

7.1

4

Deepti Sharma to Smriti, FOUR, boundaries from both ends.

Deepti Sharma [1.0-0-9-0] is back into the attack

6.6

4

Asha Sobhana to Grace Harris, FOUR, Harris is not taking her foot off the pedal. Flighted delivery outside off, ample width on offer and Harris lofts it with the spin - struck it flat and wide of long-off, no chance for Simran to stop that. 16 from the over..

6.5

4

Asha Sobhana to Grace Harris, FOUR, floated up and spins away, Harris waits and cuts it square on the off-side. There were two fielders in the point region and she bisected them with precision. This was not short but the slowness allowed Harris to play that shot..

UPW 143-8(20)

RCBW 84-0(7.2)

CRR:11.45

REQ:4.74

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women need 60 runs in 76 balls

Partnership: 88(45)

Last 5 overs: 62 runs, 0 wkts

Toss: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (Bowling)

Chloe Tryon to Smriti, FOUR, hat-trick of fours for Smriti.

8.3

4

Chloe Tryon to Smriti, FOUR, now behind square. Quicker and sliding across, Smriti plays it late deliberately and places the late cut wide of backward point. No need to run for that..

8.2

4

Chloe Tryon to Smriti, FOUR, drifted across, fraction short and Smriti does not overhit - stays on the back foot and punches it in front of square.

Shikha Pandey to Smriti, SIX, that's the shorter side and Smriti takes full advantage. Short and angling in, Smriti is waiting for the pull,

RCB needs 10 runs to win.

Asha Sobhana to Smriti, SIX, whoa! That's an incredible shot.