Mumbai Indians stormed back into the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) after a loss against the UP Warriorz with a thumping 7-wicket win against the home team Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday, March 2. The Mumbai team proved to be too good with both bat and ball as after restricting RCB to a low total of just 131 runs, the Women in Blue chased it down with 29 balls remaining in a one-sided victory at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RCB didn't have a lot to cheer about in the game, apart from a fielding brilliance moment as they were subjected to their second consecutive loss. Shreyanka Patil, the young all-rounder continued RCB's moments of brilliance in the field on the boundary two days after Georgia Wareham's extraordinary jump and throw into the field. On the final ball of the powerplay of Sophie Devine's over, MI's Hayley Matthews struck a slower half-volley towards long-on.
It seemed like going for a six before Patil on the boundary flung herself and caught the ball before realising very soon that she was very close to the boundary. Quickly, Patil released the ball while being mid-air as she saved a certain six and restricted the MI batters to just two runs. The video of her fielding effort has gone viral.
Watch the video here:
However, that was the only moment to be joyous for the RCB apart from the three wickets in the field as MI batters just steamrolled the opposition. Yastika Bhatia began with a bang scoring 31 off just 15 balls before Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr took over. Kerr continued her smashing batting form for MI in WPL 2024 as she remained unbeaten on 40 off 24. Stand-in captain Nat-Sciver Brunt also played a handy little knock of 27 runs.
RCB will be next up against the UP Warriorz in their final home game on the last day of the Bengaluru leg.