WPL 2023: Easy for DC

Shafali Verma during her 84 yesterday. Pic/Ashish Raje; DC skipper Meg Lanning celebrates her 50 and Tara Norris

Shafali Verma's 84 off 45 balls and a 43-ball 72 by Meg Lanning helped Delhi Capitals (DC) register their first win (by 60 runs) of the Women's Premier League (WPL) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.

Even though RCB won the toss and elected to field, they had little say thereafter. The Capitals posted 223-2 in the stipulated 20 overs. The opening pair of Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning shared a 162-run partnership lasting 14.3 overs. They toyed with RCB's bowling, scoring boundaries at will. Regardless of who bowled, RCB took a beating. While Verma preferred giving it a heave down the ground and through the covers, Lanning played square of the wicket on both sides for her boundaries.

Verma reached her 50 when the team's score reached 100 in the 10th over. Lanning's half-century followed soon after. Just when it seemed like RCB had lost all hope and were on the verge of giving up, Lanning was bowled, trying to heave a ball from off-spinner Heather Knight (2-40) in the 15th over and completely missing it. Knight picked Verma two balls later in the same over, caught by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.

Cameos by Kapp, Rodrigues

RCB's delight was shortlived as Marizanne Kapp (39 off 17) and Jemimah Rodrigues (22 off 15) continued the onslaught till the end. Although she went for big runs, Knight was still the only bowler to pick wickets.

In reply, RCB were restricted to 163-8.

They started well, making 54 runs in the first powerplay, led by their prolific captain Smriti Mandhana (35 off 23). The left-hander played some dazzling shots over the bowler's head in the second over. Fellow opener Sophie Devine (14 off 11) played some great strokes through the covers before falling in the fifth over to a brilliant low catch at mid-on by Verma off right-arm pacer Alice Capsey (2-10). Capsey also picked up Mandhana, who fell to short fine-leg's right after the powerplay.

Ellyse Perry (31 off 19) tried to keep up with exorbitant asking rate - upwards of 11 an over - by scoring boundaries when she could, but fell to left-arm pacer Tara Norris (5-29) in the 11th over. Norris picked two more in her next over to seal RCB's fate. Heather Knight (34 off 21) and Megan Schutt (30 off 19) fought hard towards the end but in vain.

DC's America-born Norris picked the first five-wicket haul of the WPL and was adjudged player of the match.

Also read: WPL: Smriti Mandhana up for DC challenge

"I knew how Bangalore's bowlers bowl, both pace and spin, so I was backing myself," Verma said in the post-match press conference.

‘Lanning backed me'

About her partnership with Lanning she said, "She was backing me and appreciating me for my shots which gave me confidence. We both acknowledge each other's good shots." The 19-year-old added, "I tried to be more cautious today because I was getting out while playing good shots in recent matches. Today, I knew it was my day so I was trying to take it till the end. I was upset when I got out in the 80s because I had the opportunity to score a 100.

"The wicket was very good for batting. Lanning was saying that if we can make 200 so can they, so we have to focus and not take
it lightly."

Brief scores
DC 223-2 in 20 overs (S Verma 84, M Lanning 72, M Kapp 39'; H Knight 2-40) beat RCB 163-8 in 20 overs (S Mandhana 35, H Knight 34, E Perry 31, M Schutt 30'; T Norris 5-29, A Capsey 2-10) by 60 runs