RCB VS UPW MATCH 2

Right then, another close affair and the 2nd edition of the competition has started off with a bang and the home team Bangalore have picked up a crucial win. Next up, the reigning champions Mumbai take on Gujarat at the very same venue on Sunday, 25 February beginning at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). However, you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Cheers!

Asha Shobana is the Player of the Match for her stellar five-wicket haul that turned out to be a match-winning spell. Says that she has struggled a lot and put in a hard work and she isn't thinking about her five-wicket haul and is happy that they won on their home ground. Says that she knew she could be put in such a situation and she was ready for it. Mentions that she knew Grace Harris was going against the turn and hence tried to float the ball up and induce a top edge.

Smriti Mandhana, the captain of Bangalore says that she is happy with the game, mentions that she was aware of what happened in the first match. She then praises the bowlers for an amazing show out in the field. Mentions that she had faith in Sophie Molineux and to see the way Asha Shobana bowled was incredible. States that Asha is someone who challenges herself and believes in herself as well. Informs that the deck was a little bit on the slower side and is delighted with the way Richa Ghosh and Sabbhineni Meghana stitched a solid stand.

The Presentation ceremony...

Sophie Molineux is now down for a chat. Sophie says that to see the fans and play in front of such a crowd was special. Adds that the girls fought hard till the end and it feels good to get the win. Adds that she hasn't seen the ball on replay where she got out Alyssa Healy but it did feel good to get her wicket. Mentions that it was a roller-coaster of a second innings and reckons that they were able to get 20 runs extra with the bat in their innings. On Asha Shobana, she says that she bowled really well and is super pumped for her.

Alyssa Healy, the skipper of UP is down for a chat. She feels that they got themselves back in the contest but kept losing their way. Credits Sophie Molineux for the way she bowled and the opposition as well for a great win. Mentions that they will learn a lot from this defeat which is a part of the game. Adds that there are plenty of positives they take from this game. They had their backs to the wall for most part of the games. Hopes that they bounce back quickly from this loss. Informs that she has seen all the hard work that the girls have been doing in training and is super proud of the energy they brought on the field. States that the young girls will only grow as the tournament progresses.

Earlier in the game, UP won the toss and Alyssa Healy put Bangalore into bat first. This decision was well-backed by the bowlers as they were able to get both impactful openers, Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine out quite early. Ellyse Perry too couldn't make a mark but Sabbhineni Meghana did and along with Richa Ghosh got Bangalore back into the game. Both batters got fine half-centuries but couldn't stay on till the end. Rajeshwari Gayakwad was the pick of the bowlers for UP as she picked up a couple of wickets and the rest of the bowler also chipped in.

UP will feel they have let one slip and after a brilliant effort in the field and a stellar effort with the bat for most of the game, they failed to get over the line. They lost their talismanic skipper Alyssa Healy early after which Tahlia McGrath took control and stitched together a stand with Vrinda Dinesh who couldn't quite get going. Both of them fell in quick succession, leaving UP in a bit of a fix but then came that brilliant stand between Grace Harris and Shweta Sehrawat where both batters stayed positive and got the boundaries away and it all looked easy for them. However, a brain fade from the two batters and a couple of others that followed, saw UP get behind in the game and eventually, Deepti Sharma had just a bit too much to do in the final over.

The smile and relief on the face of skipper Smriti Mandhana says it all and look what it means to the Bangalore players to get over the line while being under the pump for a long while and they couldn't have asked for more. They didn't have a big score on board but did manage to send Alyssa Healy packing in the second over. After that though, they failed to really get wickets in the middle phase and allowed a big partnership to brew. The likes of Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil weren't quite at their best but thankfully for the hosts, Asha Shobana was and she turned the game upside-down in her final over picking up three wickets and ending with a five-wicket haul. The likes of Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux held their nerves brilliantly as well in the final two overs to take their side over the line.

Bangalore have stolen it at the death and the crowd inside the Chinaswamy is up on its feet, cheering their home team and the atmosphere is absolutely electric. With 32 needed off 24 balls and a bunch of wickets in hand, UP were strolling to the finish line but some stellar spin bowling from Bangalore and just poor decision-making from the UP batters has cost them a sure-shot win.

IT IS OVER! What a match. A low full toss, outside off. Deepti Sharma mistimes her slog towards wide long on. The fielder in the deep cuts it out and keeps it down to just two runs. Bangalore win the match by just 2 runs.

FOUR! It is a juicy full-toss and the second game of this season will go right down to the wire. Deepti Sharma dances down the track and whips it through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Another dot! 9 needed in 2 balls. It is floated and full, outside off. This one just has that extra bounce. Deepti Sharma looks to slog it away but gets beaten.

DROPPED! It is a full ball, around off. Deepti Sharma winds up but only manages to hit it uppishly towards mid off. The fielder, Shreyanka Patil dives in front, but this one just pops up. No run taken though.

Floats it up, on off. Sophie Ecclestone drills it down to long on for one.

A full toss, outside off. Deepti Sharma comes down, and has to stretch out for this. It goes towards short fine off the inside edge. One taken.

Who will bowl the final over? Will it be Shreyanka Patil or someone experienced like Ellyse Perry? UP need 11 runs to win and it will be Sophie Molineux to bowl the final over.