Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil keep table-toppers RCB unbeaten

A crucial half-century from Radha Yadav and a maiden five-fer in WPL for Shreyanka Patil helped RCB make it three in three and stay two points clear at the top of the table. There were vital contributions from the likes of Richa Ghosh, Nadine de Klerk and Lauren Bell as well, as the 2024 champions resisted a fiery knock from Bharti Fulmali in the chase to eventually beat Gujarat Giants by 32 runs.

Giants got off to a fantastic start in contrast to the one RCB made with the bat. Their experienced pair of Beth Mooney and the in-form Sophie Devine knocked off 32 runs from the first three overs with the Australian contributing 25. However, a sharp return catch from Arundhati Reddy saw the back of Devine and then Shreyanka caused more damage by trapping Mooney leg-before-wicket, overturning the initial decision through the recourse of DRS.

Things went from bad to worse for the batting side as Shreyanka and Bell made more inroads to reduce Giants to 63 for 4 at the end of the ninth over. De Klerk then joined the party with the wicket of Georgia Wareham as RCB took complete control of the contest with half the side back in the pavilion. But Fulmali and Kashvee Gautam didn't give up just yet and kept RCB on their toes.

Fulmali first took on Arundhati for a six and a four, and followed it up with two more sixes in the following over to cause panic in the RCB camp. Gautam then contributed with a six off her own as Giants now put themselves in a position where they needed 61 from the final five overs. Shreyanka then came into the attack and got them the breakthrough they desperately needed by getting rid of Gautam with Fulmali now carrying her side's hopes. However, bowling her final over, Bell put the contest to bed once and for all with a double-wicket over that included the wicket of Fulmali. Shreyanka then picked up the final two wickets in the penultimate over to complete her five-fer and give RCB a breezy win.

Earlier in the evening, RCB scripted a terrific turnaround to post 182 on the board. It was a total that appeared to be nowhere in sight despite the fact that Grace Harris kickstarted the game with four boundaries in the very first over. A big inswinger from Gautam got rid of her in the following over and from there on RCB just lost their way. Three more wickets fell inside the PowerPlay including that of skipper Smriti Mandhana as RCB were reduced to 43 for 4.

Radha and Ghosh then joined forces in an attempt to revive the RCB innings and their efforts bore fruit. Radha first got going against Wareham by slamming her for a six and a four and Ghosh soon got into the act as well to guide RCB to 80 at the halfway mark. With their tails up, both the batters pressed the accelerator to slowly shift the momentum.

At one point, they managed to hit a combined four sixes in the space of three overs with Radha bringing up her half-century. Wareham finally broke the century partnership in the 17th over of the innings but the stage was then set for de Klerk to come in and make an impact. She ruined Gautam's figures in her final over by slamming two fours and two sixes to give RCB some much-needed impetus at the death which eventually had a huge say in the final result.

Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 182/7 in 20 overs (Radha Yadav 66, Richa Ghosh 44; Sophie Devine 3/31) beat Gujarat Giants 150 in 18.5 overs (Bharti Fulmali 39, Beth Mooney 27; Shreyanka Patil 5/23, Lauren Bell 3/29) by 32 runs