WPL: It was spin to win tonight, says UP Warriorz skipper Healy after 10-wicket win over RCB

Skipper Alyssa Healy smashed the highest individual score of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023, helping UP Warriorz crush Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by ten wickets with seven overs to spare at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

"Really pleased with our bowlers tonight to keep them under 200. Full credit to the spinners as they held their nerve and took wickets at crucial times. It was spin to win tonight. It was a good batting wicket and the spinners did a fine job. Shweta (Shweta Sehrawat, the Indian U19 T20 World Cup winner) is only a baby and coming into such a competition is difficult. We watched Vaidya in the recent series (against India) and wondered what she was doing at number 7, she played a fine knock and took the pressure off me. We just set the platform early and by the timeout we needed run a ball, we did not want to drag it too long," said Healy in a post-match presentation.

With this win, UP Warriorz is in the third position in the points table with two wins in three matches, one loss and four points. RCB is yet to earn a point as they have lost all their four matches.

Chasing 139, UP Warriorz was off to a fantastic start. Openers Devika Vaidya and Alyssa Healy, the skipper were dealing in boundaries.

Healy made a mockery out of RCB's bowling attack, dispatching the ball through the ropes effortlessly. It was Devika playing the anchor role.UP reached the 50-run mark in just 5.4 overs.

At the end of the powerplay, UP was at 55/0, with Alyssa Healy (38*) and Devika Vaidya (16*) unbeaten.

RCB bowlers had no answers for the onslaught brought by the openers.

Healy brought up her half-century in just 29 balls, consisting of 10 fours.

UP Warriorz reaches the 100-run mark in 9.3 overs.

At the end of 10 overs, UP was in the driver's seat, at 103/0, with Healy (68*) and Devika (28*) unbeaten.

UP Warriorz chased down the total in just 13 overs, ending at 139/0. Healy stayed unbeaten at 96 off 47 balls, consisting of 18 fours and a six. Devika also finished at 36* in 31 balls.

Fiery death bowling spells from Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone helped UP Warriorz bundle out Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for just 138 runs in 19.3 overs in their Women's Premier League (WPL) match at Brabourne Stadium here on Friday.

After electing to bat first, RCB was once again off to a solid start. Sophie Devine picked up right from where she left in the last game and smashed some fours and sixes effortlessly.

Smriti Mandhana's downward run in the tournament continued as spin once again managed to tame her. She was dismissed by Rajeshwari Gayakwad for just four off six balls. She was caught by Anjali Sarvani at extra cover. RCB was 29/1 at that point.

Ellyse Perry was next up on the crease. She smashed Anjali for two fours in the fifth over.

RCB reached the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs, with a six from Perry.

At the end of six overs, RCB is 54/1, with Perry (19*) and Devine (31*) unbeaten. RCB were in a good position at the end of the powerplay.World's number one T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone proved her ranking right by breaking the 44-run stand between Perry and Devine. The ball hit the top of off stump, removing Devine for 36 off 24 balls, consisting of five fours and a six. RCB was 73/2 in 8.2 overs.

Kanika Ahuja was the next batter.

At the end of 10 overs, RCB was 81/2, with Kanika (5*) and Perry (36*) at the crease.

Kanika's stay at the crease was short-lived as Deepti Sharma picked up her wicket for eight off ten balls, reducing RCB to 85/3 in 11 overs.

RCB continued to lose wickets in middle overs. Nothing could stop Anjali from being in the game as after two catches, she and Healy ran out an in-form Heather Knight for just 2. RCB was 98/4 in 12.2 overs.

Shreyanka Patil was next up on the crease and helped RCB cross the 100-run mark in 12.5 overs with a four.

Perry brought up her first WPL fifty in 35 balls, consisting of six fours and a six.

The duo had started building a partnership. Shreyanka, the young batter from Karnataka, was looking quite confident, reverse-hitting and sweeping every ball that she found worthy of punishing.

But Ecclestone picked up Shreyanka's wicket, dismissing her for 15 off 10 balls to take her second wicket. RCB was 116/5 in 14.4 overs.At the end of 15 overs, RCB was 117/5, with Erin Burns (1*) joining Perry (51*) at the crease. RCB had to finish well in the final five to post an imposing total.

In the 17th over, Deepti got the big wicket of Perry, dismissing the star Aussie all-rounder for 52 off 39 balls after she was caught by Tahlia McGrath inside the boundary ropes. Two balls later, she bowled Erin for 12 off 9, reducing RCB to 130/7.

An unfortunate run-out put an end to Richa Ghosh's stay, dismissing her for just one run in one ball. RCB was 131/8 in 17.1 overs.

Ecclestone dismissed Renuka (3) and Sahana Pawar (0) and RCB was bundled out for just 138 runs in 19.3 overs.

Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers with 4/13. Deepti picked up 3/26, while Gayakwad got a wicket.

Healy won the 'Player of the Match' for her match-winning fifty.

Brief Scores: RCB 138 in 19.3 overs (Ellyse Perry 52, Sophie Devine 36, Sophie Ecclestone 4/13) lost to UP Warriorz 139/0 in 13 overs (Alyssa Healy 96*, Devika Vaidya 36*). (ANI)