Pacer Renuka Singh (2/14) and left-arm orthodox Sophie Molineux (3/25) bowled spells that helped set up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Women’s eight-wicket win over Gujarat Giants Women at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday.
The Giants could manage only a paltry 107/7 after being put in. In reply, Smriti Mandhana (43) and S. Meghana (36 not out) took RCB to the target in only 12.3 overs.
This was RCB’s second win in as many games while the Giants suffered their second straight loss in the tournament.
Hardly any of the Giants batters could get going after RCB won the toss. They could never really recover once Renuka accounted for captain Beth Mooney and No.3 batter Phoebe Litchfield within the first seven overs.
Once Renuka was done with her job, Molineux dismissed Veda Krishnamurthy and Kathryn Bryce, reducing the Giants to 73/6 in the 17th over. In the meantime, opener Harleen Deol (22), who had tried to hold one end up, was run out which added to the pressure on the Giants.
It seemed the Giants would fall short of the 100 mark. If Renuka and Molineux pegged the Giants back with their strikes, Sophie Devine conceding only 12 in her four overs also turned out to be of good help for RCB.
Only 10 boundaries and a couple of maximums were all that the Giants could come up with in terms of big strokes in their innings.
