As the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 enters its final phase, the battle for playoff spots has intensified. With two spots still up for grabs, every match is crucial. In match 18, UP Warriorz (UPW) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a must-win game. Scheduled for March 8 at 7:30 PM IST at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, this match carries high stakes as both teams fight to stay in the race for the top three.
In their most recent outings, UPW lost to Mumbai Indians, while RCB suffered a defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals. Notably, both teams are struggling at the bottom of the table—UPW sit last with two wins from seven matches, while RCB are just above them with two wins from six games. To keep their playoff hopes alive, both sides must deliver a commanding performance and hope other results work in their favor.
Squads:
UP Warriorz
Deepti Sharma (C), Uma Chetry (WK), Chinelle Henry, Poonam Khamnar, Kiran Navgire, Dinesh Vrinda, Georgia Voll, Grace Harris, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Anjali Sarvani, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud, Gouher Sultana.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Smriti Mandhana (C), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sabbineni Meghana, Nuzhat Parween, Charlie Dean, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham, Joshitha V J, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Raghvi Bist, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh, Ekta Bisht, Jagravi Pawar, Renuka Singh Thakur
Players to watch out:
Georgia Voll
After a forgettable three-ball duck against Gujarat Giants, Voll bounced back in style with a blistering 55 off 33 balls against Mumbai Indians. With just two WPL matches under her belt, she will look to build on her strong start.
Shweta Sehrawat
The 21-year-old has had a mixed tournament, scoring 16, 37, 11, 31, 19, 5, and 0 in her seven innings, totaling 119 runs. She will be eager to leave a lasting impact in her team’s final group-stage match.
Smriti Mandhana
Mandhana has shown flashes of brilliance, notably scoring a superb 81 off 47 balls against Delhi Capitals and a quickfire 26 off 13 against Mumbai Indians. However, she has struggled in her last three innings, managing just 6, 10, and 8 runs. A big knock from her could turn RCB’s fortunes around.
Georgia Wareham
Despite a tough start (1/50 in her first spell), Wareham made a strong comeback with figures of 3/25 against Delhi Capitals, 3/21 against Mumbai Indians, and an all-round performance of 20* and 2/26 against Gujarat Giants. She will be key to RCB’s success.
Pitch:
The Ekana Cricket Stadium is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball. Spinners are likely to play a crucial role, while batters must apply themselves to score freely. The average first-innings total at this venue is 136, and teams winning the toss usually prefer to chase.
Weather:
Clear skies in Lucknow will ensure ideal playing conditions. The temperature will range between 31°C (max) and 14°C (min), with humidity around 50% and wind speeds of 13 kph.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Richa Ghosh, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Smriti Mandhana, Grace Harris, Ellyse Perry, Deepti Sharma, Georgia Wareham, Chinelle Henry, Sophie Ecclestone, Kim Garth, Renuka Singh Thakur
Match details:
Date – March 8, 2025
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Broadcast – Live streaming on Jio Hotstar; Telecast on Star Sports Network
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