WPL 2024: Funniest Memes from RCB-W vs MI-W, Match 9

Mumbai Indians returned to winning ways as they decimated Royal Challengers Bangalore in front of their home fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in the 2024 edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Match No. 9 turned out to be a lopsided affair as Mumbai Indians were in the mood from the get-go. Harmanpreet Kaur missed this match as well and Nat Sciver-Brunt continued leading the side for the second game in a row. The England all-rounder won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The Royal Challengers had an abysmal powerplay as they scored just 34 runs and lost their top three batters, including the in-form Smriti Mandhana. The onus was on Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry to bail their team out of the precarious situation. However, the former perished in the ninth over as Bangalore were staring down the barrel at 42/4.

The experienced Aussie all-rounder formed two gritty partnerships with Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham to take Bangalore to 131/6 in their 20 overs. Perry remained unbeaten on 44 off 38 balls, hitting five fours.

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Pooja Vastrakar bagged two wickets apiece, while Issy Wong and Saika Ishaque chipped in with one wicket each.

Yastika Bhatia got her team off to a flying start with a flurry of boundaries inside the powerplay. She scored 31 runs from 15 balls in a partnership that amassed 45 runs in 3.5 overs. After Yastika’s dismissal, Hayley Matthews and Sciver-Brunt added 24 runs off 23 balls to take the defending champions closer to their target.

The West Indies captain departed for 26 off 21 balls in the eighth over with 69 runs already on the board. Amelia Kerr took the attack to the Bangalore bowlers and scored 33 out of a 49-run partnership with her skipper. When Sciver-Brunt departed for 27 off 25 balls in the 14th over, Mumbai needed just 14 more runs to win.

Vastrakar and Amelia completed the formalities as the defending champions won by seven wickets with 29 balls to spare. With this win, Mumbai moved back to the top of the table. Meanwhile, Bangalore suffered their second straight defeat and will have to embark on some soul-searching ahead of their upcoming games.