South African Batter’s Last-over Fireworks Power Bengaluru To Thrilling Win Over Mumbai
Navi Mumbai: South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk (63* off 44 balls, 2 sixes, 7 fours) produced a sensational all-round performance to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCB-W) to a dramatic victory in the opening match of the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday.
Bought for just ₹65 lakh at the auction, Nadine smashed a flurry of boundaries (6, 4, 6, 4) in the final over to seal a thrilling win against defending champions Mumbai Indians Women (MI-W), handing Smriti Mandhana’s side a dream start to the campaign.
Mumbai post 154/6
After being sent in to bat, Mumbai Indians managed 154 for 6 in their 20 overs, thanks largely to a 45-run knock by middle-order batter Sajana Sajeevan. Bengaluru were set a modest target of 155. However, RCB lost key wickets of captain Smriti Mandhana, Grace Harris and Richa Ghosh within the first eight overs. Nadine then stitched together crucial partnerships, including one with Arundhati Reddy (20 runs), to keep Bengaluru in the hunt and eventually pull off a nail-biting victory.
Mission accomplished off the last ball
Bengaluru needed 18 runs off the final over with three wickets in hand. England’s No.1 pacer Nat Sciver-Brunt bowled the 20th over for Mumbai and started with two dot balls, leaving RCB at 137/7. Nadine launched a counter-attack from the third ball, smashing a six, followed by a four and another six off the next two deliveries. The match came down to the final ball, with two runs required to win. Nadine then sent a yorker outside the off-stump sailing over the bowler’s head to the boundary, sealing an unforgettable three-wicket victory off the last ball (157/7 in 20 overs).
Nadine named Player of the Match
Before her heroics with the bat, Nadine had already made an impact with the ball. The pace all-rounder picked up four wickets for just 26 runs, earning her the Player of the Match award.
Nadine had stunned India in October
Nadine had earlier tormented India during the Women’s ODI World Cup held in India in October-November. In a league match at Visakhapatnam on October 9, she took two wickets and then smashed an unbeaten 84 (five sixes, eight fours) to guide South Africa to victory in the 49th over.
Today’s matches
At DY Patil Stadium, Gujarat will take on UP from 3.00 PM. Later at 7.30 PM, Mumbai will be in action again, this time against Delhi.