🏏WPL 2025: Match 15 - GG W vs UP Warriorz W at Lucknow, 03/03/25🏏 - Page 102

When: Royal Challengers Women vs Mumbai Indians Women, February 21, 2025, 07:30 PM IST

Where: M Chinnaswamy stadium

What to expect: This is the first game back at the venue. Seven of the 11 games at the venue in WPL 2024 were won by the chasing side. RCB had a 3-2 win-loss tally at their home venue last year while MI won three of their four outings there.

Team news:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

The home side should retain their winning XI from the DC fixture in Vadodara.

Probable XI: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Ekta Bisht, Joshitha VJ, Renuka Thakur

Mumbai Indians

The inaugural season victors shouldn't tinker around with their winning combinations either, with Parunika Sisodia holding onto her spot in place of Saika Ishaque.

Probable XI: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), G Kamalini, Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia

Raji's comment: They both are looking so adorable!

Players to watch: Renuka Singh and Hayley Mathews

Renuka Singh had a lacklustre WPL 2024 but has staged a superb comeback this season. Continuing from where she left off for India in the West Indies ODIs in Vadodara, where she picked up 10 wickets in three games, she has used the assistance off the pitch with the new ball to take five wickets in RCB's last two games. After the win against DC, she admitted to have worked on her pace and outswing. She will be looking to maintain her rhythm as the action moves to Bengaluru.

Hayley Matthews may not have had great outings with the bat so far but her bowling has been valuable. In the first game, she dismissed the dangerous Shafali Verma with her offspin. In her second match, she finished with frugal figures of 3 for 16 to restrict Giants to 120 as she took the Player-of-the-Match award.

Stats that matter

• RCB have won two out of their five games against MI so far in the WPL. At the centre of those two wins was Ellyse Perry. After bagging stunning figures of 6 for 15 in the reverse fixture in Delhi, she scored 66 off 50 in the Eliminator to lead RCB to the final.
• All six matches in the WPL 2025 so far have been won by the chasing side.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Squad: Smriti Mandhana(c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh(w), Raghvi Bist, Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Ekta Bisht, Joshitha VJ, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Sabbhineni Meghana, Nuzhat Parween, Heather Graham, Charlotte Dean, Jagravi Pawar, Prema Rawat

Mumbai Indians Women Squad: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, G Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur, Akshita Maheshwari

Head to Head -Last 5 Matches

RCB Women won by 5 runs, 16-Mar-2024

RCB Women won by 7 wickets (with 30 balls remaining), 13-Mar-2024

MI Women won by 7 wickets (with 29 balls remaining), 03-Mar-2024

MI Women won by 4 wickets (with 21 balls remaining), 21-Mar-2023

MI Women won by 9 wickets (with 34 balls remaining), 07-Mar-2023

Batters to watch(Recent stats)

Nat Sciver-Brunt, MI-W

10 M • 290 Runs • 32.22 Avg • 128.88 SR

Harmanpreet Kaur, MI-W

8 M • 259 Runs • 43.17 Avg • 143.88 SR

Ellyse Perry, RCB-W

9 M • 380 Runs • 76 Avg • 125.82 SR

Smriti Mandhana, RCB-W

10 M • 334 Runs • 33.4 Avg • 139.16 SR

Bowlers to watch(Recent stats)

Hayley Matthews, MI-W

10 M • 12 Wkts • 7 Econ • 17 SR

Nat Sciver-Brunt, MI-W

10 M • 11 Wkts • 7.94 Econ • 16.9 SR

Georgia Wareham, RCB-W

10 M • 9 Wkts • 9.05 Econ • 19.44 SR

Ellyse Perry, RCB-W

5 M • 7 Wkts • 6.38 Econ • 11.14 SR

BLR-W vs MUM-W Probable Best performers

Probable best batter:

Smriti Mandhana managed to find some form last match and will want to continue her good run in the tournament going forward. The Bengaluru Women's skipper will also enjoy batting at this venue and will be a threat to the Mumbai bowling attack.

Probable best bowler:

Shabnim Ismail is in great rhythm with the ball and her experience will be effective in the venue. Ismail may not have a lot of wickets in her name but has been a problem for the batters with the pace and bounce that she has generated in the last two games.

Today's Match Prediction: Chasing team to win the match

Scenario 1

• Bengaluru Women win the toss and bowl
• PP Score - 40-45
• MUM-W - 170-185
• Bengaluru Women win the match

Scenario 2

• Mumbai Indians Women win the toss and bowl
• PP score - 50-55
• RCB-W- 180-195
• Mumbai Indians Women win the match

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

There is a spring to the steps of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The holders have started their title defence with two wins in two, and even though it is early days in the competition, they already look potent in all departments. Ellyse Perry and Smriti Mandhana, who hit 300 runs (and more) last season, have put in a whirlwind star-turn each in the past one week. RCB have also had Richa Ghosh blazing away in the middle-order - with a 27-ball 64 against Gujarat Giants.

RCB's bowling unit have set up a win as well. A stirring spell of bowling from Renuka Singh (3/23 in 4 overs) against Delhi Capitals laid the platform for the big victory. She already has five wickets this season while Kim Garth, Ekta Bisht and Georgia Wareham are also among the wickets. RCB have chugged along without even needing Perry to perform her duties with the ball.