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Predictions 
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had a dream start to the 2025 edition of the Women’s Premier League. After a record run-chase in the first game, they put out a clinical all-round show against Delhi Capitals (DC) to make it two in two.
It was the bowlers who setup the win for RCB as the DC batters struggled to get going and capitalize on their starts. Four RCB bowlers combined to pick 10 wickets before Smriti Mandhana showed her class with a fine 81 to make short work of the chase.
After bowling to bowl first, RCB had the perfect start when Renuka Singh Thakur struck in the very first over of the game. The experienced seamer had the dangerous and in-form Shafali Verma caught at mid-off for a golden duck. She almost had Jemimah Rodrigues LBW but it was umpire’s call on impact when RCB reviewed the on-field call of not out. Kim Garth also got the ball to nip around in her first over as DC had a tentative start, making just five in the first two overs.
DC skipper Meg Lanning and Rodrigues then turned the tide and got a flurry of boundaries to give DC some impetus. They made 50 runs in the last four overs of the powerplay as they reached 55/1 at the six-over mark.
After a solid 59-run stand, the two-time finalists lost both set batters in successive overs and were reduced to 62/3 in the 8th over. Georgia Wareham struck in her first over as she had Rodrigues stumped before Lanning top-edged one to fine-leg which gave Garth her first wicket.
Annabel Sutherland was looking good but Renuka came back to get the big wicket of the Australian all-rounder. That started the slide and DC kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Sarah Bryce was the only other batter who looked like taking Delhi to a par score but she fell in the 18th over as well. Mandhana rotated the bowlers really well as RCB kept chipping away and
eventually bowled DC out for 141.
Delhi could manage just three fours and one six after the powerplay. For RCB, Renuka and Wareham finished with three wickets while Garth and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht took two each.
Smriti Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge share 107-run opening stand to put RCB on course for a comfortable win
Chasing just a shade over seven runs an over, RCB had an excellent start. Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge kept getting boundaries regularly as they raced away to 57/0 at the end of the powerplay.
None of the DC bowlers were effective. They tried six bowlers in the first eight overs but neither of them could get the breakthrough. The runs continued to flow as the RCB captain brought up her third WPL half-century. It came off just 27 balls. At the other end, Wyatt-Hodge was scoring freely as well and RCB went past the 100-run mark in the 10th over.
The England top-order batter was looking set to raise her maiden WPL fifty but she holed out to deep cover and was dismissed for 42. It was Shikha Pandey who got Delhi their first breakthrough. The 107-run stand was broken. It was the second-highest partnership for RCB for any wicket in the history of the WPL.
Ellyse Perry walked in and got an early reprieve as confusion between Lanning and Sutherland meant a skier landed in between the two players. But the veteran Australian all-rounder didn’t have much to do as Mandhana continued to pepper the DC attack with boundaries. The RCB skipper looked all set to finish the game but a needless lap shot brought about her dismissal.
Last game’s player of the match Richa Ghosh strode out and wrapped up the game with a four and six as RCB chased down 142 with 22 balls to spare. They have stormed to the top of the points table.
BRIEF SCORES: Delhi Capitals 141 all out (Jemimah Rodrigues 34, Sarah Bryce 23, Renuka Singh Thakur 3/23, Georgia Wareham 3/25, Kim Garth 2/19) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 141/2 (Smrit Mandhana 81, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 42, Arundhati Reddy 1/25, Shikha Pandey 1/27) by eight wickets and with 22 balls to spare.
