New Delhi, March 12 After not making it to the playoffs of 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL), Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Ellyse Perry admitted the season was a tricky one for her team, who were disappointed with some of the performances not being up to the mark.
Defending champions RCB began their campaign on a strong note with two consecutive wins, but faced five successive losses, including in all four of their games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which eventually led them to miss the bus for the playoffs.
They weren’t helped by the fact that they lost Kate Cross, Sophie Devine, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana and Sophie Molineux to injuries ahead of the season. RCB, though, ended the season on a high with an 11-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium and denying their opponents a direct entry into the final.
"It has been a tricky season for us. We started with some really strong wins and ended on a high note with another victory tonight. But in between, we lost some close games and had a few performances that weren’t up to our standards, which is a bit disappointing. That said, it has been an incredibly enjoyable season in an amazing competition.
“Playing for RCB has been a fantastic experience, especially because of the fans. The support we receive, particularly in Bengaluru, has been incredible, but it has been equally enjoyable to see fans turning up for us across different venues. It’s hard to pick a favourite venue, but Chinnaswamy Stadium is special for us.
“However, the matches in Baroda at the start of the tournament were brilliant, and playing in Mumbai and Lucknow also added great variety. Moving the competition across multiple venues has been a fantastic experience, and I hope fans have enjoyed coming out to watch the matches," said Ellyse to JioHotstar.
Mithali Raj, the former India women’s captain, felt the big finishing touches at the end from the bat helped RCB in emerging victorious over MI on a flat Brabourne pitch. "I think RCB came into this game knowing they had nothing to lose. They were coming off a loss, but in their previous match, they nearly chased down 225, which showed how well their batting had come together."
“Here, they posted a strong total of 199. It was great to see Smriti Mandhana back among the runs, alongside impressive performances from Richa Ghosh and Georgia Wareham. The last five overs were crucial, where they scored over 70 runs, finishing their innings on a high.
“That final flourish made a huge difference. On this wicket, 199 is a competitive total. While it is chasable, disciplined bowling with tight lines can make it difficult for the opposition. RCB executed their plans well, and that reflected in the outcome," she said.
Mumbai Indians will now face Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator on Thursday, and Mithali thinks the match-up will make for a fascinating encounter, as the winner will meet Delhi Capitals in the final on Saturday.
"It’s going to be a very interesting match. From Mumbai Indians' perspective, both times they won the toss—once they successfully defended a total, and the other time, they failed to chase.
“So, it will be interesting to see what they decide if they win the toss this time. On the other hand, Ashleigh Gardner has always opted to chase whenever she has won the toss. However, Gujarat Giants have also secured a win while defending. It will be fascinating to see how both captains approach their strategy on this pitch, especially with a high-pressure eliminator at stake, Mithali added.
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