The Kotambi Stadium was electric. A packed house in Vadodara had witnessed a WPL classic as the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru emerged victorious against the Gujarat Giants in a high-scoring thriller.
The real story wasn’t just on the field, it was unfolding within the walls of the RCB dressing room. The air crackled with a mixture of elation and relief. Winning the tournament opener is always crucial, especially when you’re the defending champions.
There’s an added layer of expectation, the target felt particularly heavy when Gujarat Giants posted a formidable 201/5, their joint-highest ever in the WPL. Initially, the atmosphere was tense, despite Ellyse Perry’s classy half-century keeping them in the hunt. The pressure was mounting as the required run rate climbed. But then came the Richa Ghosh storm.
You could sense the shift in energy as Richa Ghosh walked in. An early drop gave her a life, and she grabbed it with both hands, smashing the ball into all parts of the ground. With every boundary, the tension eased, replaced by a growing belief. When Kanika Ahuja joined her, the pair unleashed a brutal onslaught, tearing apart the Gujarat Giants’ bowling attack.
As Richa Ghosh hit the winning runs, a roar erupted from the RCB dugout, and that roar continued inside the dressing room. Players jumped to their feet, hugging, high-fiving, and screaming with joy. Smriti Mandhana, despite the pressure of captaincy, allowed herself a wide smile. She knew how important this win was, not just for the points table but for the team’s morale.
Amidst the celebrations, there was a palpable sense of gratitude for Richa Ghosh. The Player of the Match award was richly deserved, and her teammates made sure she knew it. Seasoned veterans like Ellyse Perry were among the first to congratulate her, acknowledging the brilliance of her match-winning knock.
The game-changers of the likes of Kanika Ahuja, Renuka Singh, and the Indian wicket-keeper batter earned the well-deserved praise coaching unit headed by Luke Williams, skipper Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry also extended their praise for the unbeaten Kanika-Richa duo chasing down the total with an unbeaten 93-run 5th wicket stand.
Kanika Ahuja also had a happy chappy conversation with Shreyanka Patil over a video call, as the off spinner misses the ongoing season due to injury.
“How well we finished that match. Richa and Kanika who, you know, missed all of last season due to injury and to come back and make such an impact that she did tonight was brilliant, and Richa was just out of this world.
“It was kind of enjoyable watching those two do their thing, Kanika was feast-pumping, and there were lots of smiles and we just really enjoyed cheering them on,” said Ellyse Perry on the power-packed finish from the Indian youngsters in a short video clip shared by RCB, giving a sneak peek into their celebrations after a memorable victory, adding another memorable moment in RCB dressing room diaries.
But beyond the individual brilliance, there was a collective understanding of what this win meant. It was a testament to the team’s depth, their resilience, and their unwavering belief in each other. They had been put under pressure, they had faced adversity, but they had come through it together, just as champions do.
They’ll be hoping to march along and carry forward the winning momentum when the Smriti Mandhana-led side faces Delhi Capitals led by skipper Meg Lanning on 17th February 2025 (Monday) at the same venue in the 4th match of the tournament from 7:30 PM IST.
(Quote sourced from a video posted by RCBTweets on X)
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