11.25pm Right then. Giants suffer back-to-back defeats and will look for a fresh start in Baroda. RCB will want to wrap up their stay in DY Patil with a perfect finish against Delhi Capitals tomorrow. That's all from us today, but join us again for tomorrow's double-header. It will be Mumbai Indians against UP Warriorz and then RCB vs DC. On behalf of Ekanth and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo, it's Abhimanyu signing off. Goodnight!
11.15pm Time for the presentation ceremony.
Radha Yadav, the POTM: "I really enjoyed myself. The conversations I was having with Richa were very crucial. I'll give her full credit for the way she spoke to me. I know I have the game, the mentality, but it's a different matter when someone gives you confidence. Richa told me that even if there are dot balls we'll make it up. I think I middled the first ball so I thought that I have played this situation for my state and India A, but at this stage I needed that confidence. I just want to say that Shreyu bowled really well. Not easy to bowl in the dew so I'd like to share this with her."
Smriti Mandhana: "The partnership between Radha and Richa was something really special to watch and then Shrey coming in and bowling crucial overs and getting crucial wickets, whole team played very well today. [On Radha Yadav's No. 5 role] She's always played that role for her state team and done well. We knew she's done well in that role. And then when we lost Pooja for the first few weeks the first option was Radha. It's an Indian league and when someone's done well in that role for her state, you have to back them. In DY Patil you never know what's a good total to defend, but with the bowling that we have and the kind of variety, we had the confidence but you can never be overconfident at DY Patil. [Areas to improve] We dropped two catches and both were sitters and we really pride ourselves to be good fielders so that's not something that's acceptable. I think the middle order where we are losing back-to-back wickets is an area we can work on."
Shreyanka Patil: "Firstly I would love to give the credit to Radha because if not for her innings we'd not have put up that total. Really happy with the way Radha and Richa contributed to the innings from 40 for 4. Gave us a lot of confidence. We knew dew would play a big part. I think the bowlers did tremendously well and I am very happy to get my first WPL five-for. I have gone through a rollercoaster ride personally. I came out of it in a very strong way. Credit goes to my support system. My coach, uncle, aunt and grandparents and sister are all here. Just the fact that i was out of cricket for 14 months was a big blow for me because I can't sit quietly. I need to be out on the field. Very happy with the preparation over the last few months and happy that my execution is now falling in place. I am a wicket-taking bowler. Because the drift I get, the turn I get and bounce I get, I have not seen much. I don't know why I am giving so much credit to myself [chuckles]. But I have always wanted to be the strike bowler. At any phase of the game I want to get wickets. [Constructing an over] I kept it really simple. Even Anya and Malo sir said to keep things simple because your stock ball is the best ball on this wicket. I kept things simple, got those arm balls going and bowled a lot of offspinners and bowling to left-handers is a big advantage. Smriti keeps saying you have to get all the left-handers out in this tournament."
Ashleigh Gardner: "Obviously we wanted to bowl first. We felt there was a little bit in the wicket early. Radha obviously batted brilliantly. We probably fed her strength for too long and she kind of got going and obviously we know the strength Richa possesses and we weren't able to pull them back as quick as we should have. I still think 180 was very gettable and it just shows that if our top order batters don't score those important runs it kind of leaves us a little bit short. Looking at the last couple of games we felt like chasing was a good option but looking at our track record, we almost scored 200 in our first three games. So that's something we need to have a look at going into Baroda. Different venue obviously. I think there was lots of great glimpses tonight with the ball and with the bat we were just not good enough. [On the rearguard batting] We always speak about one of the top four or five being there till the 15th so then those girls have the opportunity to do what they do best and really finish off an innings. Tonight they batted a little longer than we would have liked but I think it still shows the class that they have. We know the talent that Kashvee has with both bat and ball and then someone like Bharti to come in and clear the ropes early on in her innings is pleasing to see. But I think where we let ourselves slip was not having one of the top order batters to bat through and then have those girls come in around us. We head to Baroda tomorrow. It's a pretty quick turnaround. For us it's about staying present. We must take positives from tonight's game and the last game as well."
Sampath with an interesting stat: Shreyanka Patil became the first bowler to take three four-wicket hauls in the WPL. She was also the first to take two four-fors, before Amelia Kerr joined her.
11pm In the powerplay in the first innings itself it looked like RCB had possibly lost this game. They lost four wickets, including Mandhana and Harris. But then Radha Yadav emerged as the unlikely saviour, paying off the faith the management put in her by sending her at No. 5. Her maiden WPL fifty and her 105-run stand with Richa Ghosh, accompanied by a cameo from Nadine de Klerk took them to 182. When Mooney got off to a flyer, it looked like that was not a big enough target. But, Mandhana rotated her bowlers well, and it led to wickets falling. First Devine, then Mooney. Gardner and Wareham followed suit soon and while a few dropped catches kept Giants in the game, eventually RCB sauntered to a comfortable win, bowling Giants out with more than an over to go. Shreyanka Patil got a much-deserved five-for while Lauren Bell picked up three. And RCB maintain their perfect start to WPL 2026.
Renuka Singh c Reddy b Patil 2 (2m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
Renuka, another ex-RCB player
TP Kanwar c Mandhana b Patil 21 (14m 13b 3x4 1x6) SR: 161.53
Shreyanka Patil will bowl out in the penultimate over. Over the wicket to Kanwar
END OF OVER:18 | 9 Runs | GG-W: 148/8 (35 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.22, RRR: 17.50)
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad0 (2b)
- Tanuja Kanwar21 (11b)
- Arundhati Reddy4-0-31-1
- Lauren Bell4-0-29-3
Reddy from around the wicket
END OF OVER:17 | 6 Runs 2 Wkts | GG-W: 139/8 (44 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.17, RRR: 14.66)
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad0 (1b)
- Tanuja Kanwar12 (6b)
- Lauren Bell4-0-29-3
- Shreyanka Patil3-0-21-3
Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Shivani Singh c Reddy b Bell 0 (1m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Debutant Shivani Singh
BS Fulmali c Harris b Bell 39 (33m 20b 3x4 3x6) SR: 195

