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Half-centuries from Sabbinenni Meghana and Richa Ghosh helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recover from some quick loss of wickets, posting 157/6 in their 20 overs of the Women's Premier League (WPL) match against UP Warriorz at Bengaluru on Saturday.
UP needs 158 to start off their campaign with a win. Put to bowl first by UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was off to a shaky start with Sophie Devine falling lbw to Grace Harris for just 1. RCB was 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Smriti Mandhana had hit Tahlia McGrath for a four and six and was joined by Sabbinenni Meghana, who made her intentions clear by smashing Grace for three successive fours. However, just when it seemed RCB would pick up, Mandhana was dismissed for a disappointing 13 in 11 balls, with Tahlia getting the wicket. Vrinda Dinesh took a fine catch at short fine leg. RCB was 36/2 in 5.1 overs. At the end of the first six overs, RCB was 40/2 with Meghana joined by Australian superstar Ellyse Perry. RCB touched the 50-run mark in 6.5 overs. But the partnership between the duo did not last too long as Perry was dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone for just eight runs. RCB was 54/3 in 7.5 overs. Halfway through the innings, RCB was 64/3, with Richa Ghosh (8*) and Meghana (31*) unbeaten. Meghana reached her half-century in 40 balls, with seven fours and a six. Richa relieved a lot of pressure for RCB, smashing Saima Thakor for four boundaries. RCB reached the 100-run mark in 13.5 overs. Richa and Meghana also brought up their fifty-run stand. At the end of 15 overs, RCB was 115/3, with Richa (38*) and Meghana (52*) unbeaten. Rajeshwari Gayakwad broke the partnership with her spin, removing Meghana for 53 in 44 balls, with seven fours and a six. RCB was 125/4 in 16.1 overs. Gayakwad also removed Georgia Wareham for a duck, reducing RCB to 125/5 in 16.4 overs. This did not really affect Richa, who went on to smash McGrath for a hat-trick of fours. She brought up her fifty in 31 balls, with 10 fours. Deepti Sharma cleaned up Richa for 62 in 37 balls, consisting of 12 fours. RCB was 144/6 in 18.5 overs. RCB ended their innings on a solid note, with Shreyanka Patil finishing off the innings with a six. Ecclestone's final over gave away 12 runs. RCB ended at 157/6 in 20 overs, with Sophie Molineux (9*) and Shreyanka Patil (8*) unbeaten. Gayakwad (2/24) was the pick of the bowlers for UP. Grace, Tahlia, Sophie and Deepti also took a wicket each. (ANI)
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