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Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed into the Women's Premier League final with a ruthless eight-wicket demolition of UP Warriorz. After restricting UP to 143/8 despite their flying start of 74/0, RCB chased down the target with ease thanks to Grace Harris' blistering 75 off 37 balls and Smriti Mandhana's composed 50 off 26 deliveries, adding a match-winning 108-run partnership.
Asked to bowl first by RCB, UP Warriorz openers Deepti Sharma and Meg Lanning launched a ferocious assault that threatened to take the game away from the Bengaluru side. The pair raced to 74 without loss inside the first eight overs, dominating RCB's bowling attack with aggressive intent and clinical execution during the Powerplay.
Australian superstar Meg Lanning and Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma combined experience with explosive stroke-play, finding boundaries regularly and putting immediate pressure on RCB's bowlers. Their partnership established complete control, with both batters timing the ball beautifully and capitalizing on any loose deliveries.
The opening stand of 74 runs placed UP Warriorz in a commanding position, suggesting a total well above 180 runs if they maintained this momentum throughout their innings. RCB's bowlers struggled for rhythm and control during this phase, with their plans appearing ineffective against the aggressive onslaught.
For UP Warriorz, this start provided the perfect platform for middle-order acceleration. With wickets in hand and scoring rate already exceeding nine runs per over, the foundation existed for a genuinely imposing total that would severely challenge RCB's batting lineup.
However, cricket's unpredictable nature meant this dominant position wouldn't translate into the substantial total UP Warriorz anticipated when their openers were dismantling RCB's bowling attack.
The match's complexion changed dramatically when South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk provided the crucial breakthrough, dismissing the dangerous Meg Lanning. This wicket triggered a spectacular collapse that transformed the contest completely, swinging momentum decisively toward Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
De Klerk followed Lanning's dismissal by trapping Amy Jones lbw with an intelligent cross-seam delivery that deceived the English wicketkeeper-batter. Her clever variations and precise execution exploited a momentary vulnerability in UP Warriorz's batting lineup, creating pressure that rippled through the remaining batters.
Australian all-rounder Grace Harris capitalized on this momentum shift, removing Harleen Deol and Chloe Tryon in quick succession. Her wickets came at crucial moments, preventing any middle-order recovery and ensuring UP Warriorz never regained the dominance their openers had established.
The collapse saw UP Warriorz plummet from their commanding 74/0 position to a precarious 103 for four wickets. This dramatic slide of four wickets for just 29 runs completely altered match dynamics, with RCB's bowlers suddenly controlling proceedings after enduring early punishment.
Despite Deepti Sharma's fluent 55 runs off 43 deliveries providing resistance, the innings never recovered its early momentum. Deepti's quality knock demonstrated her class and composure under pressure, but lacked sufficient support from partners to rebuild the innings toward competitive totals.
UP Warriorz limped to 143 for eight wickets in their 20 overs—a total representing barely half the projection when openers were dominating. The final score of 143 proved woefully inadequate for a knockout match, placing enormous pressure on their bowling attack to defend against RCB's powerful batting lineup.
RCB's reply featured one of the tournament's most destructive batting displays as Grace Harris launched an extraordinary assault on UP Warriorz's bowling attack from the chase's opening moments.
Harris targeted bowlers mercilessly, particularly Kranti Gaud, finding boundaries at will through powerful hitting combined with exceptional timing. Her aggressive approach established immediate dominance, placing UP Warriorz's bowlers on the defensive and creating psychological pressure that affected their execution.
The Australian all-rounder reached her half-century off just 28 balls—a remarkable scoring rate that reflected her complete control and aggressive intent. She continued accelerating beyond this milestone, finishing with a spectacular 75 runs from merely 37 deliveries.
Harris' innings featured 13 fours and 2 sixes, showcasing her complete range of strokes and ability to find gaps consistently despite defensive field placements. Her boundary-hitting prowess demoralized UP Warriorz's bowlers, who struggled to find effective plans against her relentless assault.
The innings demonstrated Harris' value as a match-winner capable of single-handedly determining outcomes through explosive batting. Her ability to maintain such aggressive scoring without losing her wicket for extended periods proved decisive in RCB's comprehensive victory.
While Grace Harris provided the fireworks, captain Smriti Mandhana played the perfect supporting role with a polished half-century off just 26 balls. Her composed innings ensured RCB never lost momentum or wickets that might have created unnecessary pressure despite the modest target.
The partnership between Harris and Mandhana added 108 runs, completely dismantling UP Warriorz's bowling attack and chase prospects. Their contrasting styles complemented perfectly—Harris' explosive aggression combined with Mandhana's elegant stroke-play created an unstoppable combination.
Mandhana's fifty demonstrated her class and consistency, maintaining the aggressive scoring rate while providing stability at the other end. Her ability to rotate strike effectively and find boundaries regularly ensured Harris had both support and freedom to continue her aggressive approach without feeling excessive individual pressure.
The 108-run partnership effectively sealed the match, taking RCB close to victory without significant alarms. UP Warriorz's bowlers found no answers to this batting masterclass, with their plans appearing ineffective against two world-class batters operating at peak performance levels.
This comprehensive eight-wicket victory books Royal Challengers Bengaluru's place in the Women's Premier League final, representing a significant achievement after their excellent tournament campaign.
For RCB, reaching the final validates their consistency throughout the league stages and playoff matches. The team's balanced performance—with quality contributions across batting, bowling, and fielding departments—positions them as deserving finalists capable of winning the championship.
The ruthless nature of this victory—dominating both with ball after early pressure and then with bat during the chase—sends strong psychological signals to potential final opponents. RCB demonstrated their ability to handle pressure situations, execute comeback strategies, and chase targets clinically.
UP Warriorz's tournament ends despite their strong league-stage performances. The semifinal defeat, particularly after establishing such a commanding early position, will prompt difficult questions about maintaining momentum and handling pressure situations during knockout cricket.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru crushed UP Warriorz by eight wickets to reach the WPL final. After UP raced to 74/0, Nadine de Klerk and Grace Harris triggered a collapse, restricting them to 143/8 despite Deepti Sharma's 55. Grace Harris then blasted 75 off 37 balls (13 fours, 2 sixes) while Smriti Mandhana scored 50 off 26 deliveries as their 108-run partnership secured a dominant victory.
MATCH PREDICTION
