Image Credit- BCCI
the league stage’s
top squad. a group of elite all-around players. Envious depth in the batting
lineup and a bowling attack that covers every base. A captain with an
uncountable number of titles. But in the end, a single over turned the WPL
final on its head, as a team who was on the verge of elimination just two days
prior hoisted the trophy in front of a boisterous Delhi crowd.
The Delhi Capitals
were bowled out for 113 by Sophie Molineux’s dream over of three wickets, Asha
Sobhana’s two-ball all-arounders, and Shreyanka Patil’s stunning run of wickets
all came to an end when she broke her hand. Together, the three spinners combined
for 9 for 46 in just 10.3 overs.
In the chase, where they had to score at less than run a ball, the RCB lineup
scarcely showed any anxiety. Ellyse Perry, at number three, pulled with
authority for yet another elegant batting display while Smriti Mandhana
anchored for 15 overs with risk-free batting. To exact revenge for the one-run
defeat, Richa Ghosh hammered the third ball of the last over to long
off.
The Capitals
wouldn’t have predicted the collapse, particularly following their powerplay.
Their second-best powerplay score of 61 for 0 was achieved by Shafali Verma’s
strokes down the ground, and her strokeplay appeared menacing. She began by
pushing Molineux forward, shovelling Renuka Singh backward, and pushing Perry
forward as well. She had smoked three sixes, but when she skillfully guided
Perry’s slower one to the deep-third boundary, it was her first four. Meg
Lanning, on the other hand, quickly advanced from 5 off 10 to surpass run a
ball with a string of fours.
The Capitals were
rapidly approaching a large total, and since the pace hadn’t been effective at
first, Mandhana used Molineux’s left-arm spin to counter the two right-hand
hitters. The biggest blow came when Shafali attempted to reach six more but was
caught by Georgia Wareham at deep midwicket, the longest boundary of the
evening. Shafali’s 44 off 27 and the Capitals’ deep batting lineup meant that
one wicket would not break the bank.
Two balls later, Molineux slowed one down to Jemimah Rodrigues, and when she
went too far over and missed the sweep, the shot that gets her many runs, sent
her back for a duck. Using a similar strategy, Alice Capsey missed her paddle
as well and caught a golden duck after hearing the ball rattle the stumps
behind her.
Sixty-four for 0 became 64 for 3 in a one-run three-wicket over.
They still had time
to gather themselves for a respectable total, like the RCB achieved two days
ago against Mumbai, going from 49 for 4. Even though Jess Jonassen and Kapp
combined for just five more runs, they both lost their wickets in the span of
three deliveries. Following a huge swing by Kapp to locate long-on against
Asha’s legspin, Jonassen miscued badly and was caught by Mandhana, with whom
Asha almost collided, not far off the ground.
There was no rush
for Mandhana and Sophie Devine to reach 114. With just three boundaries in the
powerplay, they limped to 25 for 0, and as soon as the powerplay was done,
Devine went after Radha’s first over. After swinging over long-off, she smacked
three fours on leg and a six in between, bringing the equation down to 71 off
78. After Devine was out after two overs, Perry’s good strokeplay accompanied
Mandhana as they played along the ground. Ten of the first thirteen overs were
bowled at pace by the Capitals, in contrast to RCB’s supremacy with spin.
Nevertheless, their thirty balls without a boundary was insufficient to cause
any damage. Despite Arundhati Reddy’s diminutive stature leaking two boundaries
in an over, Mandhana holed out for 31, Perry and Ghosh wiped out the remaining
32 runs without leaving any room for another thriller.