Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) women’s Sophie Molineux bowled a dream over in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 final against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Sunday (Mar 17) to help her team win.
Batting first, DC were on the charge with 64/0 in seven overs when Molineux bowled the triple-wicket over and derailed the proceedings.
The RCB bowler first dismissed Shafali Verma who was looking dangerous with 44 off 26 already to her name. Molineux then removed Jemimah Rodrigues and Alice Capsey on the successive balls in the same over as DC went from 64/0 to 65/3 at the end of the over. Have a look at the wickets below:
Molineux eventually finished with the figures of 3/20 in her four overs and won the Player of the Match award for her performance. DC could never bounce back from the triple blow and Shreyanka Patil’s exploits ensured that they don’t play full 20 overs. Patil took 4/12 in 3.3 overs as DC got bowled out for 113 in 18.3 overs.
WPL 2024: We ‘saved our best for the last’, says RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana on maiden title
Chasing the target, RCB added 49 runs for the first first wicket before Shikha Pandey removed Sophie Devine (32 off 27) in the ninth over. Skipper Smriti Mandhana (39-ball 31) then added 33 runs for the second wicket with Orange Cap winner Ellyse Perry who scored unbeaten 35 off 37 balls.
After Mandhana’s fall, Perry and Richa Ghosh added the remaining 32 runs and took the team home in 19.3 overs with eight wickets in hand. Mandhana praised her team after the win and said: “In tournaments like these, you need to peak at the right time, maybe we saved our best for the last.”
This was RCB’s first WPL title and maiden silverware for the franchise as well including for RCB men’s team in the WPL’s sister tournament Indian Premier League (IPL).