RCB beat Gujarat Giants by 32 runs to register third straight WPL league win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their impressive run in the Women’s Premier League, defeating Gujarat Giants by 32 runs to register their third consecutive league-stage victory here on Friday.

Put in to bat, RCB recovered strongly from an early collapse to post a competitive 182 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs before bowling out Gujarat Giants for 150 in 18.5 overs , riding on a match-winning five-wicket haul by spinner Shreyanka Patil .

RCB were in early trouble at 43 for 4 in the sixth over , but India internationals Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh steadied the innings with a crucial 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket , laying the foundation for a strong total.

Radha anchored the recovery with a composed 66 off 47 balls , blending caution with timely aggression, while Ghosh counter-attacked effectively with a brisk 44 off 28 deliveries . Nadine de Klerk added useful late runs with a knock of 26 to push RCB past the 180-run mark.

For Gujarat Giants, Sophie Devine was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 31 , while Kashvee Gautam and Renuka Singh picked up two and one wickets respectively.

Chasing a stiff target of 183, Gujarat Giants struggled to find momentum against disciplined bowling. The innings briefly came alive when Bharti Fulmali struck a spirited 39 off 20 balls , offering a glimpse of a late fightback.

However, her dismissal by England pacer Lauren Bell in the 17th over proved decisive. From 139 for 7 , the Giants lost their remaining wickets in quick succession and were bowled out with more than an over to spare.

Shreyanka Patil was the standout performer, returning excellent figures of 5 for 23 , while Bell provided effective support with 3 for 29 as RCB dismantled the Gujarat batting line-up.

The win strengthened RCB’s position in the standings. After this match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have played three league matches and won all three to collect six points . The five-team tournament follows a double round-robin format, with each side playing eight league matches and the top three teams advancing to the playoffs . The table-topper qualifies directly for the final, while the teams finishing second and third contest the Eliminator. With three wins from three outings, RCB are well placed in the standings, though qualification is not yet mathematically secured.

Shreyanka Patil was named Player of the Match for her match-defining spell.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 182/7 in 20 overs (Radha Yadav 66, Richa Ghosh 44, Nadine de Klerk 26; Sophie Devine 3/31).

Gujarat Giants 150 all out in 18.5 overs (Bharti Fulmali 39; Shreyanka Patil 5/23, Lauren Bell 3/29).