RCB’s batting crumbled swiftly around Ellyse Perry, resembling a house of cards, as the defending champions stifled the hosts in Bangalore.
Despite a pitch seemingly favoring batsmen, the Royal Challengers struggled to muster a mere 131 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
With Mumbai’s batsmen dominating early on, amassing 52 runs in just five overs, RCB needed a spark to reignite their hopes, which came in the form of the young Bengaluru native, Shreyanka Patil.
In a crucial moment during the powerplay, Sophie Devine opted to challenge Haley Matthews with a slower full-length delivery outside off stump. Despite a fielder stationed at long-on, Matthews rose to the occasion, sending the ball soaring high and long.
Initially appearing destined to clear the boundary ropes, Shreyanka intervened with a remarkable display of athleticism. The 21-year-old extended herself to the fullest, managing to catch the ball inches away from the ropes. Recognizing the risk of crossing the boundary due to her momentum, she deftly flicked the ball back into play.
That was one brilliant effort from Shreyanka Patil 🔥🔥#CricketTwitter #WPL2024 #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/CHRZbzzIs9
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) March 2, 2024
In a stunning display of skill and presence of mind, Shreyanka not only prevented a six but also swiftly returned to the field, restricting the damage to just a single run on the delivery.
