RCB vs MI, WPL 2023: Amelia Kerr stars as Mumbai Indians return to winning ways; Royal Challengers Bangalore end campaign with defeat | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr starred with the ball, grabbing an economical three-fer and then played a solid hand with the bat to guide Mumbai Indians to a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the penultimate league match of the Women’s Premier League on Tuesday.
With the win, Harmanpreet Kaur and co. returned to winning ways after having lost two consecutive games against UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals. The defeat for RCB was their sixth out of 8 matches as their nightmare campaign came to an end.

After Mumbai put in Bangalore to bat, 22-year-old Amelia led the bowling attack, registering figures of 3 for 22. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Issy Wong also grabbed a couple of wickets each as Bangalore were restricted to a lowly 125 for 9.
Chasing the total, Mumbai had their own hiccups but Amelia’s unbeaten 31 ensured team’s smooth sailing as they won the game with 21 balls to spare.
Mumbai got off to a fiery start but then choked in the chase after losing wickets in quick succession. Kerr then added 47 runs for the fifth wicket with Pooja Vastrakar (19) to revive Mumbai and took the team across the finish line in the 17th over.

Sobhana Asha halted Nat Sciver-Brunt’s charge by dismissing her for 13, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur (2) fell for her first single-digit score in the competition.
Kanika Ahuja claimed two wickets in one over to finish as the pick among the bowlers for RCB.
At the start, the opening pair of Hayley Matthews (24 from 17 balls, 2x4s, 1x6s) and Yastika Bhatia (30 off 26 balls, 6x4s) laid the foundation with a 53-run stand.
Delhi Capitals will face UP Warriorz in the final league game later in the day at the Brabourne Stadium, post which the WPL points table would be finalised.
While the team finishing at the top will get a direct entry into Sunday’s final, the second and third-placed teams will battle in the eliminator on Friday to fill up the second slot of the summit clash.
Earlier, Kerr snapped three wickets as Mumbai Indians produced a disciplined effort to restrict RCB to 125 for nine.
Kerr (3/22) validated MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to bowl first, taking full advantage of a spin-friendly track, while Matthews (4-0-18-0) and Saika Ishaque (1/30) were also on the money.
Both Kerr and Ishaque joined Sophie Ecclestone of the UP Warriorz for most wickets (13) in WPL.
Mumbai made an early breakthrough when a horrible mixup between Devine (0) and Smriti Mandhana culminated in the former being run out.
Mandhana continued to drive herself back into form, hitting a few exciting shots to make 24 from 25 balls with three fours and a six, before her innings was ended by Kerr off a mistimed stroke.
Ellyse Perry (29 from 28 balls, 3x4s) took time to settle down and opened up only in the 10th over, hitting Ishaque for consecutive fours. At the halfway stage, RCB were 56 for 2.
Heather Knight perished for 12 in the 11th over with Kerr bagging her second wicket and the slide continued for RCB with the Kiwi spinner striking again, getting Kanika Ahuja (12) stumped by Yastika Bhatia.
Nat Sciver-Brunt returned for her final over to finish at 4-0-24-2, dismissing Perry and Shreyanka Patil (4) to mark yet another poor show for RCB with the bat. Isabelle Wong (2/26) also chipped in, removing Richa Ghosh and Disha Kasat in the last over.

Ghosh cracked three fours and two sixes to make 29 off 13 balls, with her innings helping RCB move past the 100-run mark.
(With inputs from PTI)