WPL 2023: Delhi play it in bold and Capitals to hammer RCB

MUMBAI: Meg Lanning was eager to watch Shafali Verma rip apart opposition bowlers from the non-striker’s end. The Delhi Capitals skipper’s wish was fulfilled on Sunday as her younger teammate played an integral role in their 60-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match of the Women’s Premier League at the Brabourne Stadium.

USA’s Tara Norris, the only associate player to be picked up at the auction, took five for 29 as DC restricted RCB to 168 for three to round off a comfortable win.

The 24-year-old left-arm pacer, who plays in England, accounted for Ellyse Perry (31), Richa Ghosh (2) and Heather Knight (34) among her five scalps to make sure RCB middle-order didn’t mount a comeback after 18-year-old offie Alice Capsey (2/10) had sent back openers Sophie Devine (14, 11b) and Smriti Mandhana (35, 23b).

1/10:WPL: All-round DC kick off with a big win over RCB

2/10:DC kick off with a big win

<p>The power of Shafali Verma's strokes combined with Meg Lanning's experience in a sensational 162-run opening-wicket stand helped Delhi Capitals to a thumping 60-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Women's Premier League opener.<br /><br /></p>ANI

3/10:Norris first to take a fifer in WPL

<p>American left-arm pace bowler Tara Norris then came to the party, grabbing a fifer for DC to decimate the Smriti Mandhana-led team.<br /><br /></p>ANI

4/10:Shafali's blitzkrieg

<p>A day after her Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur had led Mumbai Indians to 207/5 in the inaugural match of the tournament, the 19-year-old Shafali took WPL to a new high with her explosive display of 84 off just 45 balls (10x4, 4x6).<br /><br /></p>ANI

5/10:Lanning's attacking knock

<p>The legendary five-time World Cup-winning Australian skipper Lanning, was also at her attacking best in a 43-ball 72 (14x4) as the duo demolished a listless RCB attack to take the WPL score to an imposing 223/2.<br /><br /></p>PTI

6/10:RCB fail to capitalise on good start

<p>In reply, RCB got off to a spectacular start but left-arm pacer from USA Tara Norris (4-0-29-5) and Alice Capsey (2-0-10-2) dragged them down to 163 for eight in the stipulated 20 overs.<br /><br /></p>ANI

7/10:Norris wreaks havoc

<p>Norris, who became the first Associate player in the WPL, ripped through the star-studded RCB middle order taking the wickets of Ellyse Perry (31), Richa Ghosh (2) and Heather Knight (34) to send half of their batters back into the hut for 93 in 12.2 overs.<br /><br /><br /></p>PTI

8/10:Blistering start for RCB

<p>India vice-captain and WPL's costliest player Smriti Mandhana, and Sophie Devine fired on all cylinders. At the four-over mark, they were 41 for no loss, way ahead of DC's 29/0 at the same stage.<br /><br /><br /></p>Getty Images

9/10:Capsey triggers collapse

<p>But English off-spinner Capsey triggered a stunning collapse, dismissing Mandhana and Devine in successive overs. <br /></p>Getty Images

10/10:RCB women suffer the same fate

<p>The loss reminded one of RCB's 140-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League in the inaugural edition in 2008, when they folded up for 82 in reply to KKR's 222/3.<br /></p>Getty Images

WPL: All-round DC kick off with a big win over RCB

Earlier, on a sweltering afternoon, Verma turned up in a murderous mood at the Brabourne Stadium and by the time the 19-year-old’s stay had ended, she had played a blistering knock of 84 from just 45 balls with 10 fours and four sixes.

Opening with Lanning (72, 43b; 14x4), the duo put on 162 for the first wicket before both were dismissed in the 15th over by Heather Knight (2/40). Marizanne Kapp (39, 17b; 3x4, 3x6) and Jemimah Rodrigues’s (22, 15b;3x4) unbeaten 31-ball 60-run alliance for the third wicket made sure DC posted a mammoth 223/2.

Verma set the tone for DC by hitting three boundaries off experienced Australian pacer Megan Schutt in the second over. On a pitch that didn’t offer any assistance to bowlers, Verma and Lanning put their heads down thereafter to pave the way for DC to put on a mammoth total.

That DC batters hit a boundary in every over, barring the first one, shows how difficult they made it for RCB skipper Mandhana to slow down the runs.

Verma brought up her half-century in 31 balls and then just went berserk, scoring 34 runs off the next 15 balls. In her eadeavour to up the ante, she was stumped by Richa Ghosh off the bowling of Knight.

“The idea was to spend some time in the middle and once settled, go for my shots. Once I got going, I was aiming for my century but unfortunately got out,” said Verma.

Lanning, too, brought up her half-century in 31 balls and then showed why she is the best captain in world cricket when she made the perfect bowling changes to stifle RCB and also employed the right fields.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 223-2 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 84, Meg Lanning 72; Heather Knight 2-40) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 163-8 (Smriti Mandhana 35, Ellyse Perry 31; Tara Norris 5-29) by 60 runs.