“We are going into the super over!” screamed every cricket aficionado who was glued to the TV set for Match No. 9 of the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL), where UP Warriorz’s Sophie Ecclestone punched Royal Challengers Bengaluru, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
Chasing a challenging total of 180, set up by a sensational innings from the legendary Ellyse Perry, the Warriorz struggled to keep up with the required run rate and lost their batters at crucial moments of the game. None of the top six batters could capitalize on their starts, falling prey to big-shot attempts.
The visitors needed 41 runs off the last three overs with just two wickets in hand. The No. 1 bowling all-rounder in white-ball cricket, Sophie Ecclestone, was determined to vindicate her status once again. The 25-year-old played a sensational knock, scoring 33 off 19 deliveries, before being run out on the final ball of the second innings.
With just one run required off the last delivery and Kranti Goud on strike, the pressure was immense. It was a swing-and-a-miss, and Richa Ghosh swiftly broke the stumps to take the game into a super over.
Chinelle Henry and Grace Harris had the responsibility of maximizing runs in the six-ball decider. However, pacer Kim Garth kept things tight, restricting the batters from hitting any boundaries.
The Challengers required just two monstrous hits to secure two elusive points, but stalwart Sophie Ecclestone had other plans for the evening. She was determined to win more laurels for herself and seal back-to-back wins for her team.
The left-arm orthodox bowler remained disciplined with her trajectory, denying southpaw Smriti Mandhana and big-hitter Richa Ghosh any clean strikes from the meat of their bats. The hosts managed only four runs, leaving their home crowd—who had turned up in large numbers to support the team in Red-and-Gold—disappointed.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their excitement. Here are some of their reactions.
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