WPL 2024: Smriti Mandhana is left speechless following RCB’s final: As he gave her teammates an embrace, Smriti Mandhana was left speechless and eventually started crying with joy, but Harmanpreet Kaur suppressed her feelings.
That is how cruel sports can be. Following an exciting Twenty20 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, where Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated the reigning champion Mumbai Indians by five runs in the Eliminator to advance to their first-ever Women’s Premier League final, two captains of the same national team showed very different feelings. At the end of the game, Mandhana was seen hugging her teammates and crying with joy, while Harmanpreet was seen fighting back tears as she went out to shake hands and congratulate the RCB players on their victory.
During the 136-run chase, the Mumbai Indians appeared very confident at one point, having seven wickets remaining and Harmanpreet at the wicket with Amelia Kerr, who had just settled into the rhythm after hitting two boundaries against Georgia Wareham. The MI captain then hit two boundaries off Ellyse Perry, and with just 20 runs needed, Mumbai went into the last three overs.
But Shreyanka Patil’s outstanding 18th over, in which she gave up just four singles and claimed the wicket of Harmanpreet, allowed RCB to mount a late comeback. Conversely, Sophie Molineux replicated the same in the 19th over, dismissing S Sanjana for just 1 to slightly complicate the equation for MI, who needed 12 off the final over.
Mandhana went to Asha Sobhana for the last over after she had used up most of her important bowling options. The leg-spinner outfoxed Pooja Vastrakar, who missed the loopy leg-break on the fourth ball and was stumped, after giving up just four runs in the first three balls.
Kerr was on strike after Amanjot Kaur could only manage a single when eight was needed off the final two balls. Harmanpreet knew, as he watched helplessly from the dugout, that asking the New Zealand cricketer to do something so difficult was unreasonable. However, while Kerr was maintaining her cool at the crease, her countrywoman Sophie Devine approached Mandhana to help with the pitch.
Kerr was on strike after Amanjot Kaur could only manage a single when eight was needed off the final two balls. Harmanpreet knew, as he watched helplessly from the dugout, that asking the New Zealand cricketer to do something so difficult was unreasonable. Despite Kerr’s calm demeanour at the crease, her countrywoman Sophie Devine approached Mandhana to offer assistance in the field.
Mandhana celebrated with her teammates, shedding happy tears as she did so. After seeing her team lose from a winning position, Harmanpreet’s tears revealed conflicting feelings.
“What a match. This feeling hasn’t fully settled in yet. We thought we were 20 runs short at the halfway point. However, we fielded and bowled really well. “At 130, you never know whether to attack or defend, but Asha’s final over was unbelievable,” Mandhana remarked during the post-match press conference.
On Sunday, RCB and Delhi Capitals will square off in the WPL 2024 final at the same location.
