Grace Harris Powers RCB Into WPL Final with All-Round Masterclass

Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a dominant all-round display to defeat UP Warriorz by eight wickets and book their place in the Women’s Premier League final , with Grace Harris emerging as the undisputed star and earning the Player of the Match award for her match-winning impact with both bat and ball. Opting to field first, RCB recovered brilliantly after a shaky start, before Harris’ explosive batting ensured a comfortable chase.

UP Warriorz had looked set for a huge total after promoting captain Deepti Sharma to open alongside Meg Lanning . The pair stitched together their best opening stand of the season, adding 72 runs in 49 balls. Deepti struck a fluent 55 off 43 balls , while Lanning made 41, guiding UPW to 74 without loss in eight overs and putting RCB under pressure early.

The momentum shifted dramatically through RCB’s disciplined middle-overs bowling. Nadine de Klerk broke the threatening stand and triggered a collapse with her variations, while Grace Harris provided crucial support by removing key middle-order batters, helping reduce UPW from a commanding position to 103 for four. De Klerk finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 22 , ensuring UPW were restricted to a below-par 143 for eight .

Harris then took centre stage with the bat in a breathtaking display of power-hitting. The Australian all-rounder smashed 75 off just 37 balls , peppering the boundary with 13 fours and two sixes, and dismantling the Warriorz attack during a game-defining 108-run partnership with captain Smriti Mandhana , who contributed a brisk half-century. Harris’ aggressive approach in the powerplay effectively killed the contest, as RCB raced far ahead of the required rate.

By the time Harris was dismissed, the result was beyond doubt, and RCB completed the chase with a massive 41 balls to spare . The emphatic victory took RCB to 12 points , confirming a top-of-the-table finish and direct entry into the final. For UP Warriorz, the loss left their playoff hopes hanging by a thread after another middle-order collapse.

The match belonged firmly to Grace Harris impactful with the ball during the collapse and devastating with the bat in the chase a true all-round performance that powered RCB into the final with momentum and authority.