All-rounder Ellyse Perry led Royal Challengers Bangalore's batting as the team posted a total of 135/6 in 20 overs in the first innings against Mumbai Indians in the WPL 2024 Eliminator at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday, March 15.
Royal Challengers Bangalore set a 136-run target for the defending champions Mumbai Indians to chase, who are eyeing to qualify for WPL Final for the second time on the trot.
RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana opted to bat first against MI. The opener pair of Mandhana and Sophie Devine provided a good start to RCB's innings before the latter was bowled out by Hayley Matthews for 10 at 20/1. In quick succession, Royal Challengers Bangalore lose another wicket in Mandhana for 10, dismissed by Nat Sciver-Brunt for 10 at 20/2.
RCB suffered further collapse in their batting as they lost Disha Kasat for a duck, dismissed by Saika Ishaque at 23/3. After Kasat's dismissal, Ellyse Perry was joined by Richa Ghosh at the crease in the middle to carry on Royal Challengers Bangalore's innings.
The pair was looking to form a good partnership until Ghosh was dismissed for 14 by Hayley Matthews at 49/4. Richa Ghosh was struggling to take on pace bowlers as she was batting with a strike of 73.68.
Ellyse Perry's lead RCB fightback with a spirited half-century
After Richa Ghosh's dismissal, Ellyse Perry was joined by Sophie Molineux at the crease to carry on RCB's batting. However, Perry waged a lone battle though Molineux provided a little support to her.
Perry and Molineur sailed Royal Challengers Bangalore's batting until Nat Sciver-Brunt struck Mumbai Indians' fifth wicket by dismissing the latter for 11 at 84/5. Thereafter, Ellyse Perry carried on RCB innings and brought her second fifty of the season in 40 balls.
Ellyse Perry kept the Royal Challengers Bangalore's scoreboard ticking and accelerated the innings in the death overs. Perry played a fighting knock of 66 off 50 balls at a strike rate of 132 before Saika Ishaque dismissed her at 126/6.
With four balls left in the final over of the first innings, RCB added nine runs to the total, including a six by Georgia Wareham in the last ball. Eventually, RCB posted a total of 135/6 with Wareham and Shreyanka Patil batting on 18 and 3, respectively.
For Mumbai Indians, Shaika Ishaque, Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt scalped two wickets. Matthews and Sciver-Brunt were the most economical bowlers as the conceded 18 runs with an economy rate of 4.2 each.
