While the win highlighted RCB’s resilience, the absence of Ellyse Perry and a delayed comeback from Pooja Vastrakar exposed vulnerabilities in their batting line-up. The fresh opening pairing of Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana provided early stability, but the middle order came under pressure, underscoring the need for reinforcement in the batting department.
UP Warriorz, on the other hand, will be chasing their first points after a narrow 10-run defeat to Gujarat Giants. The Warriors displayed fighting spirit while chasing a tournament-record 208, largely due to an explosive 78 from Phoebe Litchfield. However, their bowling attack, aside from Sophie Ecclestone’s tidy 2/32, struggled to contain the opposition, conceding over nine runs per over on average.
Both teams enter the match evenly matched, with a 3-3 head-to-head record, and conditions at DY Patil Stadium are expected to favour a high-scoring encounter. RCB may tweak their line-up to strengthen their batting, while UP Warriorz are likely to retain the XI that performed admirably despite their last loss.
Fans can expect a fast-paced, thrilling contest as both sides seek early momentum in the WPL. The battle between RCB’s finishing prowess, led by de Klerk, and UP Warriorz’s explosive batting, spearheaded by Litchfield, could prove decisive in this crucial encounter. With high stakes and an evenly poised rivalry, Monday’s game promises excitement, drama, and plenty of fireworks.
Squads:
UP Warriorz Women Squad: Kiran Navgire, Meg Lanning(c), Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat(w), Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud, Chloe Tryon, Charli Knott, Gongadi Trisha, Shipra Giri, Suman Meena, Simran Shaikh, Pratika Rawal
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Squad: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana(c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh(w), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell, Pooja Vastrakar, Georgia Voll, Kumar Prathyoosha, Sayali Satghare, Gautami Naik
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