Grace Harris unleashed a stunning display of brute power to hammer a breathtaking 40-ball 85, propelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to an emphatic nine-wicket victory over UP Warriorz in their Women’s Premier League clash on Monday. Her explosive knock turned what looked like a competitive chase into a one-sided spectacle, as RCB stormed home with ease.
Grace Harris–Smriti Mandhana masterclass flattens UP Warriorz
UP Warriorz had earlier shown resilience after a dramatic collapse, recovering to post a respectable 143/5 thanks to a composed rescue act from experienced all-rounders Deandra Dottin and Deepti Sharma. However, that effort was completely overshadowed by Harris’ ferocious counterattack at the top of the order.
Harris smashed the fastest half-century of the season, racing to fifty in just 22 balls before finishing with a scintillating innings laced with 10 fours and five towering sixes. Her assault ensured RCB chased down the target in just 12.1 overs, significantly boosting their net run rate and lifting them to the top of the standings with a second successive win.
Skipper Smriti Mandhana played the perfect supporting role, crafting an elegant unbeaten 47 off 32 balls, including nine boundaries. The duo stitched together a commanding 137-run partnership that left UP Warriorz with no way back in the contest.
Chasing 144, Harris set the tone with a brutal powerplay, leaving the UP Warriorz bowlers shell-shocked. She decimated Deandra Dottin in a stunning over that yielded 32 runs, an onslaught that effectively sealed the match. The Australian clobbered a no-ball for four before launching three consecutive sixes, followed by two more boundaries, repeatedly clearing mid-wicket and mid-on with effortless power.
The carnage continued against leg-spinner Asha Sobhana, who conceded 17 runs in an over as RCB raced to 100 in just 7.5 overs, the second-fastest team hundred in WPL history. Harris showcased her range by fetching a wide full ball through the leg-side fence before dropping to one knee to send an 86-metre monster over deep midwicket.
At the other end, Mandhana batted with trademark grace and composure. After Harris fell with just seven runs needed, Mandhana calmly finished the chase alongside Richa Ghosh.
Earlier, UP Warriorz had endured a dramatic collapse after a steady start. They were 36 for 1 in the powerplay before losing four wickets in just eight balls to slump to 50/5 by the ninth over. From there, Dottin and Deepti combined for an unbroken 93-run stand off 72 deliveries to give their side something to defend.
Deepti anchored the innings with an unbeaten 45 off 35 balls, striking five fours and a six, while Dottin contributed a fluent 40 not out from 37 balls, including three fours and a six. The pair accelerated in the death overs, plundering 67 runs in the final six overs to lift UP Warriorz to a competitive total.
Dottin targeted off-spinner Shreyanka Patil with a boundary and a six in the 15th over, while Deepti went after Nadine de Klerk with a straight six in the penultimate over. The final over produced 15 runs, with Deepti striking two fours and Dottin adding another boundary.
UP Warriorz had begun cautiously, with Lauren Bell bowling a disciplined opening spell and dismissing Harleen Deol for 11 while keeping the run rate in check. Shreyanka was introduced late in the powerplay and nearly struck immediately when Meg Lanning edged behind, only for replays to show the ball had brushed the turf.
Phoebe Litchfield briefly counterattacked with back-to-back boundaries and a switch-hit six off Shreyanka, but the leg-spinner had the final say, dismissing both Lanning (14) and Litchfield (20) in the same over. Nadine de Klerk then struck twice to remove Kiran Navgire and Shweta Sehrawat, triggering the collapse before Dottin and Deepti led the recovery.
(By PTI Inputs)
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