Table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to bounce back with the bat and seal a place in the final when they face a depleted UP Warriorz in a crucial Women’s Premier League clash here on Thursday.

Already assured of a playoff spot, RCB sit comfortably on 10 points and are the only team to have qualified so far. A win against UPW would confirm a top-two finish and book them a direct berth in the final.

However, there is unfinished business for Smriti Mandhana’s side. After racing to five consecutive victories and establishing clear dominance, RCB have stumbled in their last two outings. A collective batting collapse led to a seven-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals, followed by another shaky performance against Mumbai Indians.

Against MI, RCB were reduced to 35 for five while chasing a daunting target of 200, set up by Nat Sciver-Brunt’s maiden WPL century. Richa Ghosh’s blistering 90 off 50 balls ensured the margin of defeat remained respectable, but the result exposed vulnerabilities in both RCB’s batting depth and bowling execution. The bowlers struggled to contain MI, particularly during a 131-run onslaught led by Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews.

Also Read: UP Warriorz rope in Amy Jones as injury-hit Litchfield ruled out

Lauren Bell, RCB’s leading wicket-taker with 11 scalps, will shoulder significant responsibility, while improved support is expected from Sayali Satghare and Nadine de Klerk.

For bottom-placed UP Warriorz, the encounter is a virtual do-or-die. Their playoff hopes have taken a major hit with the injury-enforced exit of leading run-scorer Phoebe Litchfield (243 runs), with England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones named as her replacement.

UPW have just two wins and four points from six matches, along with a poor net run rate of -0.769. While they still have two games in hand, against RCB and Delhi Capitals, qualification will require not only big-margin victories but also favourable results elsewhere.

The Warriorz will rely heavily on captain Meg Lanning (207 runs) and Harleen Deol (150) to anchor the batting, while the spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma will be key in curbing RCB’s powerful line-up.

With contrasting fortunes and high stakes on either side, Thursday’s clash promises to have a major say in shaping the final leg of the WPL league stage.
(By PTI Inputs)