NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru booked their spot in the Women's Premier League final with a dominant eight-wicket victory over UP Warriorz in Vadodara on Thursday, a result that all but ended the latter's hopes of reaching the playoffs.

After choosing to bowl, RCB produced a strong fightback led by Nadine de Klerk's incisive 4 for 22, while Grace Harris chipped in with 2 for 22 to rein in UP Warriorz after an explosive start. The Warriorz eventually slipped to a modest 143 for 8, failing to capitalise on early momentum.

Harris then headlined the chase in emphatic fashion, blasting 75 off just 37 deliveries as RCB chased down the target with remarkable ease, finishing the job with 41 balls remaining.

The convincing win lifted RCB to 12 points, confirming a top-of-the-table finish in the five-team league and a direct entry into the final. UP Warriorz, meanwhile, were left rooted to the bottom of the standings with four points and the poorest net run rate, their playoff chances reduced to a near-impossibility despite having a match still to play.

Harris set the tone early, taking charge of Kranti Gaud in the opening overs before tearing into her again in the third, striking five boundaries. She brought up her fifty off just 28 balls by lofting Asha Sobhana over long-on.

Dealing almost in boundaries, Harris hammered 13 fours and two sixes while adding 108 runs with skipper Mandhana, who complemented her with a sublime 26-ball fifty.

Harris was eventually bowled by Shikha Pandey, failing to read an incoming cross-seam delivery, but by then only 36 runs were required with more than 10 overs remaining.

Earlier, promoted opener Deepti Sharma struck her first half-century of the season with a fluent 55 off 43 balls (6x4, 1x6).

Deepti and Meg Lanning (41) stitched together a 72-run opening stand in 49 balls -- their best of the season -- to give UPW a flying start, but the innings unravelled in the middle overs as De Klerk and Harris applied the brakes.

From 74 for no loss in eight overs, UPW slipped to 103 for 4 in 13.2 overs. De Klerk triggered the collapse by dismissing Lanning before trapping Amy Jones (1) lbw with a cross-seam delivery.

Harris then removed Harleen Deol (14) and Chloe Tryon (6) in successive overs as RCB seized complete control.

(With PTI Inputs)