UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Women Highlights, WPL 2024: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry Star In RCB's 23-Run Win

Right then, that is it from this contest. Bangalore get back to winning ways while UP stumbles a bit but still remains in a good position. Next up in the Women's T20 League is the clash of the rivals as Delhi takes on Mumbai at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. That match will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Smriti Mandhana, the victorious skipper of Bangalore is also the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her fantastic knock. She says that they underperformed in the last couple of games but they were on it right from the get-go and Sabbhineni Meghanawas brilliant at the top and Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh finished it at the end were sensational. Additionally, she will take the luck she got with dropped chances and playing domestic helped her with her batting flow and the areas she chose to target were spot on and she feels happy to be back amongst scoring. On the partnership with Ellyse Perry, she says that they ran a lot of couples and they managed to keep the scorecard ticking and with Sophie Molineux bowling brilliantly a healthy in the middle went well for them. Closes by saying that at different times, different bowlers stood up and took responsibility for the side.

Presentation Time...

Ellyse Perry is up for a chat and says that the crowd has been amazing and adds that this is the best atmosphere she has played in front of. Mentions that it is just the nature of this format that it clicks for one sometime and with Smriti Mandhana at the other end it got easier for her to score freely. Closes by saying that they just tried to tighten up the screws in the fielding unit and they were just trying to keep away the right and left combination in the middle while in the field and they did well.

Earlier in the game, Bangalore posted a massive total on the board courtesy of a brilliant innings of 80 from skipper Smriti Mandhana along with a smashing fifty from Ellyse Perry and quick-fire cameos from Sabbhineni Meghana and Richa Ghosh at the start and end respectively. Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, and Anjali Sarvani chipped in with one wicket each for UP. While chasing, UP were in the chase with Alyssa Healy leading from the front with a nice fifty, but the others could not do what was required and ultimately faced defeat.

Bangalore, on the other hand, would have hoped for a more convincing bowling effort but they will be happy that they got over the line here. It was Sophie Devine once again who broke the crucial opening partnership and Georgia Wareham followed it up with a wicket. Devine stepped up again and got the big wicket of Harris but credit must go to that outstanding catch from Richa Ghosh. The keeper again showed her brilliance and got the most important wicket of the opposition skipper by stumping her. They were pushed back a bit by Deepti and Poonam, but Asha Shobana and Georgia Wareham made sure that they gained back control in the death overs. Sophie Molineux sealed the win with a wicket on the very last ball and ended up with a couple of wickets.

UP needed a strong start in this chase, and after a maiden over first up went all guns blazing in the next three overs. However, Kiran Navgire had to go back and a controversial review sent Chamari Athapaththu back as well, but this did not faze Alyssa Healy as she continued to play with a positive intent. They suffered a big blow when Grace Harris departed without making much impact as she has been the star of the last couple of chases for them. The captain played a few more lusty blows and registered a half-century but got out just after that which swung the momentum again. Deepti Sharma though continued her good form this season and along with Poonam Khemnar kept them in the chase. However, towards the end, the asking rate got a bit up too much and they ultimately fell short by 23 runs, but Kemnar played a good knock of 31 off 24 balls and that is a positive they can take in the next game.

Bangalore do the double over UP! They finish their home leg with a comfortable win and give their fans a fine send-off. UP would be a bit disappointed as they were in this chase for a long time but ran out of gas in the end and their two-match win streak comes to an end. This win was set up by the home skipper, Smriti Mandhana leading from the front with a great knock while the other batters also chipped in. The bowlers did not disappoint and made sure that they got back to winning ways before bidding adieu to the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

OUT! STAMP OF VICTORY! Yorker on leg, Poonam Khemnar was toying with the stance and in the end fails to get any part of her bat behind this as the ball breaks the stumps. Bangalore wins this by 23 runs.

She was looking to hit this in five directions at once it seems. Tossed up outside leg, Poonam Khemnar switched stance and was looking towards deep mid-wicket first and then deep square leg, but decided to attempt a flick towards deep fine but missed them all, and the ball clips the keeper rolling towards short fine leg.

Fuller one in middle, Anjali Sarvani rolls this to long on for one.

Tossed up in middle, Poonam Khemnar slog sweeps this to deep mid-wicket on a bounce for one.

Fuller one on pads, Poonam Khemnar flicks this to deep mid-wicket for a couple. The umpire checks for a short run on the striker's end but Anjali Sarvani dragged her bat just behind the popping crease.

Quicker one around off, Anjali Sarvani flicks this to wide long on for one.

Sophie Molineux (3-0-24-1) to bowl the last over. UP needs 29 runs to win now.

SIX! Poonam sends it sailing away for a maximum. Short of a length in middle, Poonam Khemnar shuffles to her off and slogs this over the fence towards deep square leg region for a maximum. 29 needed off the last 6 now.

FOUR! Innovative from Poonam Khemnar. Tossed up in middle, Poonam Khemnar relocates early outside her off and ramps this over the keeper for a boundary behind the stumps.

Tossed up in middle, Anjali Sarvani sweeps this for one towards deep mid-wicket.

Flipper outside off, Anjali Sarvani looks for the cut but misses.

Anjali Sarvani is the next batter in.