It was a brilliant batting performance from the Delhi Capitals (DC), led by Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, whose 162-run partnership was crucial to taking the side to a competitive 224 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 game at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 5
Shafali and Delhi skipper Lanning hit half-centuries, with the 19-year-old Indian batter top-scored with her 45-ball 84, studded with 10 four and four sixes. Lanning was also at her best with her 43-ball 72 as the duo demolished a listless RCB attack on a batting paradise in Brabourne.
It was England skipper Heather Knight who got the much-needed breakthrough in the 15th over, getting both the in-form batters with her off-spin. Knight cleaned up her Lanning with a fuller delivery, and after just one delivery, Shafali went for a widish delivery with Richa Ghosh completing a brilliant catch to inflict a double blow.
Then Marizanne Kapp and Jemimah Rodrigues handed their opponents the final blow, adding 59 runs in the death overs. The South African star smashed three sixes and three fours in her 17-ball unbeaten 39, while Jemimah complemented well in a 15-ball 22.
Shafali did not put a foot wrong and picked the loose balls well to unleash her fury en route to a 31-ball fifty with a single off Megan Schutt. In the next over, the peerless Australian skipper Lanning followed suit with a 30-ball half-century, sweeping Heather Knight to fine leg for a four.
Having started off with 12 boundaries in the powerplay, Delhi cantered to the 100-run mark at the halfway mark as the duo accelerated well in the middle overs. While the pair's batting was majestic, Lanning and Shafali made merry against some listless bowling by the RCB bowlers.
On her WPL captaincy debut, Smriti Mandhana went on to use seven bowlers after she took the bold step of opting to bowl on a batting-friendly Brabourne.
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(With PTI inputs)
