Bangalore are unexpected finalists after a narrow five-run win over title-holders Mumbai Indians in Friday's eliminator, bouncing back from their fourth place finish in the first season
Captains at the toss (Pic: @wplt20/X)
Inaugural runners-up Delhi Capitals have another shot at the Women's Premier League title on Sunday when they host Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final of the fledgling WPL 2024.
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Bangalore are unexpected finalists after a narrow five-run win over title-holders Mumbai Indians in Friday's eliminator, bouncing back from their fourth place finish in the first season. Their captain Smriti Mandhana, a mainstay of India's white-ball teams, said it was an intimidating prospect to be facing crowd favourites Delhi, helmed by fellow veteran opener Meg Lanning of Australia. "We are playing a good Delhi Capitals side which has played some amazing cricket," she told reporters on Saturday.
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Mandhana said she had been a long-time admirer of Lanning, one of the biggest stars in women's cricket, and praised her opposite number for giving her a pep talk after Delhi defeated Bangalore in a match last year. "I had always looked up to her," she said. "A little conversation with someone who understands batting as much as you do, I think that helps. So really that was an amazing thing that she did."
WPL 2024 final, RCB vs DC live updates: Full squads
Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad: Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Disha Kasat, Richa Ghosh (Wk), Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Shraddha Pokharkar, Renuka Thakur Singh, Simran Bahadur, Indrani Roy, Shubha Satheesh, Sabbhineni Meghana, Nadine de Klerk, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht.
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (C), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia (Wk), Shikha Pandey, Minnu Mani, Ashwani Kumari, Aparna Mondal, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi, Annabel Sutherland, Laura Harris, Poonam Yadav.
WPL 2024 final, RCB vs DC live updates: Dream11 prediction
Wicket-keeper – Richa Ghosh
Batsmen – Meg Lanning, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma
All-rounders – Ellyse Perry (c), Marizanne Kapp (vc), Alice Capsey, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux
WPL 2024 final, RCB vs DC live updates: Toss update
Delhi win toss, elects to bat first against Bangalore.
WPL 2024 final, RCB vs DC live updates: Confirmed playing XI
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Smriti Mandhana(c), Sophie Devine, Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh(w), Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Shraddha Pokharkar, Renuka Thakur Singh
Delhi Capitals Women: Meg Lanning(c), Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Shikha Pandey, Minnu Mani
10:34 PM: 115/2 (19.2)
Richa Ghosh hits a boundary off Arundhati Reddy, sealing the victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore
10:27 PM: 103/2 (18)
Jonassen returns to the attack, conceding 9 runs including a boundary by Perry, as Royal Challengers Bangalore edge closer to the target, with Perry and Ghosh rotating the strike effectively.
10:21 PM: 86/2 (18)
Alice Capsey returns to the attack, conceding just 3 singles, as Richa Ghosh joins Perry at the crease, with Royal Challengers Bangalore needing 32 runs, recognizing the task ahead during the timeout.
10:16 PM: 82/2 (16)
Mani strikes in her debut over, dismissing Mandhana for 31 runs off 39 balls, inducing her to play the slog-sweep, and providing Delhi with a glimmer of hope.
10:07 PM: 79/1 (14)
Jess Jonassen concedes seven runs, including a boundary, as Perry and Mandhana rotate the strike and find gaps with Perry lofting one over mid-off, while Mandhana remains watchful, facing Jonassen's left-arm orthodox bowling.
10:00 PM: 61/1 (12)
Pandey applies pressure with tight bowling, as Perry and Mandhana struggle to find gaps, managing just singles, with Perry surviving a close call on a tight single and dots building up, indicating pressure on the batters.
9:48 PM: 59/1 (11)
Devine's aggressive innings is halted as she's dismissed LBW by Shikha Pandey, despite her review confirming no inside edge, contributing 32 runs off 27 balls with 5 fours and 1 six, providing the breakthrough Delhi Capitals desperately needed.
9:37 PM: 43/0 (7)
Devine unleashes a flurry of boundaries against Radha Yadav, comprising two fours and a six, swiftly accumulating runs after a slow start, showcasing her aggressive batting prowess.
9:25 PM: 11/0 (3)
Shikha Pandey starts her spell with a mix of deliveries, conceding singles to Mandhana and Devine, with a missed opportunity for a run-out chance, as the attendance reaches its highest of the season in Delhi.
9:18 PM: 5/0 (1.2)
RCB's Kapp opens the attack with a mix of deliveries, including a beauty that nips back in to trouble Devine, while Mandhana manages to tuck one for a single, setting the tone for the innings.
9:02 PM: 113 (20)
Capitals lost the plot against Bangalore spinners after a flying start, crumbling like a pack of cards to be bowled out for 113. They never really recovered, losing wickets at regular intervals, courtesy some loose shots and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil's (4/12) exploits in the middle and late overs hastened their end
8:52 PM: 113/9 (18.2)
Arundhati Reddy falls to Shreyanka Patil's flighted delivery, attempting to work it onto the on-side but getting an inside edge onto her back leg, resulting in her dismissal bowled for 10 runs off 13 balls, as RCB's spinners continue to dominate.
8:44 PM: 90/7 (16)
Minnu Mani is dismissed LBW by Shreyanka Patil, opting not to review as she misses the paddle shot, contributing 5 runs off 3 balls to her team's seventh wicket for RCB.
8:31 PM: 80/5 (14)
Kapp's dismissal, caught by Devine off Asha Sobhana, following the break, illustrates the pressure exerted on her, departing after scoring 8 runs off 16 balls.
8:22 PM: 77/4 (10)
Asha Sobhana displays tight bowling, including a half-stop by the bowler herself, as Jonassen and Kapp manage singles while facing her leg breaks and variations.
8:14 PM: 64/3 (8)
Molineux completes a hat-trick by deceiving Capsey with a slower delivery, causing her to miss the attempted sweep shot and knocking back her leg-stump for a duck, as RCB gains momentum in the match.
8:07 PM: 64/1 (7.1)
Shafali Verma's aggressive innings ends as she falls to Molineux's delivery, caught by Wareham at deep mid-wicket after attempting a slog-sweep, contributing 44 runs off 27 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes.
8:00 PM: 64/0 (7)
Georgia Wareham maintains control with her variations, restricting Shafali Verma and Lanning to singles with her flighted deliveries.
7:56 PM: 41/0 (4)
Renuka Singh faces the brunt of Lanning's aggressive intent, conceding consecutive boundaries, while Shafali Verma showcases her power with a massive six, prompting a change of ends for the bowler.
7:49 PM: 19/0 (2)
Sophie Molineux's left-arm orthodox deliveries offer varied challenges, with Shafali Verma unleashing a massive six, setting the tone for the final, while Lanning and Verma accumulate singles with calculated strokes.
7:37 PM: 9/0 (1)
Sophie Molineux's left-arm orthodox deliveries offer varied challenges, with Shafali Verma unleashing a massive six, setting the tone for the final, while Lanning and Verma accumulate singles with calculated strokes.
7:30 PM: Match begins!
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