Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had thought their defence of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) title would be off to a bad start after conceding joint-fourth highest total in WPL history against Gujarat Giants.
In the WPL 2025 opener in Vadodara, RCB were on the ropes bowling first as Giants’ skipper Ashleigh Gardner smashed eight sixes and three boundaries in her unbeaten knock of 79 off 37 balls to post a total of 201/5 in 20 overs.
Gardner, who was fresh off a superb Women’s Ashes, turned the screw on RCB by dismissing opener Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge in the second over itself. But a timely knock by Australian star allrounder Ellyse Perry (57 off 34 balls) followed by a blitzkrieg partnership of 93 off just 37 balls between Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja blew away Giants.
Ghosh has proved herself to be a capable finisher in the victorious WPL 2024 campaign with 257 runs from nine innings. The keeper batter picked up from where she left off this season with an unbeaten 64 off 27 balls which was studded with seven boundaries and four sixes.
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Ahuja also played a big role in the win with an unbeaten 30 off 13 balls.
Speaking after the win, Ghosh revealed how training with a match simulator helped her cope with the pressure and bat freely.
“I wanted to take it deep, and I focused on my game. We (Ahuja and I) thought we could get to the total, and that we would play a positive game,” Ghosh said after the match.
“The preparation we did with sir (head coach Luke Williams) really helped us. We had a lot of match situation during practice matches. We kept targets that if the situation is so and so then what should we be doing. That helped me a lot,” she revealed.
The pair were helped by multiple misfields and missed catches from the Giants, but also had to deal with the uneven boundaries at the Kotambi Stadium.
“Yes, the boundaries were uneven, but I didn’t have that in mind. I knew I could clear so I was just reacting as the ball came,” Ghosh said.
Ahuja, who had missed the last season, was elated to have contributed to the win.
“It feels great. I’m really happy as I’m playing after a year. All the visualisations and the rehab that I did seemed to have helped me mentally. I tried to become a better player,” Ahuja said.
Captain Mandhana was pleased with the middle-order trio of Perry, Ghosh and Ahuja as her team pulled off the highest ever chase in the WPL.
“It was brilliant to watch. They (Ahuja and Ghosh) have been doing that in the nets in the last seven to eight days to all our bowlers. I think after the first innings we knew with the dew coming, it was going to be tough to bowl. So we always thought that we were in the game. The way Richa batted and Pez (Perry) batted was amazing to watch,” the RCB skipper said.
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