Royal Challengers Bangalore succumbed to a fifth consecutive Women’s Premier League defeat here on Monday night as Delhi Capitals secured a six-wicket victory in a thrilling finish. Chasing 151 on what proved to be a challenging surface to hit, Delhi Capitals were led by the pair of Jess Jonassen (29 not out) and Marizanne Kapp (32 not out), who produced an all-round showing. After delivering an excellent 4-0-17-0 in the first half, Kapp led Delhi past the finish with an unbeaten 32 not off so many balls, peppered with three fours and a six.
Jonassen hit Renuka Singh for a six and a four to end the game with two balls to spare, and not reach 29 off 15 balls with four fours and one hit over the fence.
Delhi Capitals scored 154/4 in 19.4 overs.
Delhi Capitals remained second in the points table with four wins giving them eight points while RCB moved closer to elimination as they endured a horror campaign in the inaugural WPL, losing all their lost five games.
Delhi Capitals was rocked early by Megan Schutt, who cleared the dangerous Shafali Verma off the second ball of the innings to give her side a promising start.
But Alice Capsey took the lead as she launched a flurry of boundaries to get Delhi on track. However, her attack was stopped by Preeti Bose, who dismissed the right-handed batter for a well-made 38 off 24 balls with eight hits on the fence.
Capsey’s knock was crucial, as it gave her side much-needed momentum on a difficult surface where the RCB batters had struggled for most of their first innings.
Delhi’s leading pair Meg Lanning and Jemimah Rodrigues could only add 25 runs before their tie was broken, in the ninth over.
Lanning danced down the lane to hit Sobhana Asha over the ropes but couldn’t get the distance and Heather Knight grabbed a clean catch.
Dismissed for just 15 of 14 balls, Orange Cap holder Lanning recorded her lowest score in the league.
A pivotal moment in the game came on the first pitch of the 12th over, when Preeti Bose dropped a regulation catch on the verge to delay Rodrigues, batting on 17.
However, Rodrigues was killed in the 15th over after making 32 off 28 balls with three fours caught by Richa Ghosh off Asha.
The remaining runs were knocked out by Kapp and Jonassen, who added 45 runs for the fifth wicket.
Earlier in the match, RCB scored a competitive score in their 20 overs with Ellyse Perry (67 not out) and Richa Ghosh (37) giving them a late boost.
RCB had managed 50/2 at the halfway point, but their batsmen found rhythm and did well to add another 100 to their tally in the last 10 overs.
The last six overs gave RCB 82 runs, with Perry finishing unbeaten on 67 off 52 balls with four fours and five sixes, and Ghosh producing her best knockout in the tournament to date.
The right-handed India and RCB wicketkeeper batter hit three fours and as many sixes to make 37 from just 16 balls before a mishit ended her innings off Shikha Pandey.
Pandey was in her element on Monday night, scoring some key wickets at the top in the form of out-of-sorts Smriti Mandhana (8) and dangerous Sophie Devine (21).
Pandey also grabbed a sharp and athletic catch on a short leg to rid Heather Knight (11) of Tara Norris. However, Pandey dropped Perry on 29 from her own bowling, and the RCB batsman made the most of the lifeline.
Kapp, who came off a brilliant five-for in Delhi’s latest outing, failed to get a wicket on Monday but threw another impressive spell of 4-0-17-0.
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