Smriti Mandhana’s masterclass helps Bengaluru beat Delhi, yet WPL curse lingers

The Women’s Premier League continues to tease batters with near-misses, as the wait for a maiden century in the competition goes on. There have now been 10 instances of a player reaching 90 or more in a WPL innings without converting it into three figures.

On January 17 at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Smriti Mandhana looked set to finally break that curse. The RCB skipper was in complete control against Delhi Capitals and appeared on course to become the first centurion in WPL history. However, the milestone slipped away when she was dismissed on 96 from 61 deliveries. While her innings played a decisive role in securing victory for Bengaluru, the familiar narrative of the elusive hundred returned to the spotlight.

Across the league’s history, scores of 99 have occurred twice, and Mandhana’s knock marked the third instance of a batter being dismissed on 96. The ongoing season has already seen the 90-run mark crossed on two occasions, yet the landmark century remains out of reach.

RCB’s all-round show – As it was

When it comes to the match, Delhi Capitals struggled with the bat early on. They were reduced to 10/4 at one stage and it was then believed that the match could end early. However, Shafali Verma and Lucy Hamilton had other ideas. The opener changed her playing style, trying to play the role of an anchor before she departed for 62 runs off 41 balls. Hamilton, on the other hand, went berserk, scoring 36 runs off 19 balls as Delhi posted 166 runs on the board in the first innings.

Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare were the star bowlers for Bengaluru, having picked three wickets each. Meanwhile, Mandhana and Georgia Voll’s 142-run partnership was enough for RCB to remain unbeaten so far in the tournament. They picked up their fourth straight win of the season, after Mandhana’s 96 and Voll’s unbeaten 54.