The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 has been a thrilling ride so far, with each match offering something unique and exciting. However, match nine between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and UP Warriorz at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium stood out as the most electrifying contest yet, producing the first-ever Super Over in the WPL History, which was ultimately won by UP.
Batting first, RCB posted 180/6, with Ellyse Perry single handedly scoring half of the runs. Her unbeaten 90 off 56 was a masterclass, supported by a valuable 57 from Danni-Wyatt. Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma and Chinelle Henry claimed one wicket each, while three of the RCB batters fell to run-outs.
UP Warriorz began strongly, courtesy of Kiran Navgire’s 24 off 12 balls. However, they lost momentum in middle overs, losing wickets in clusters. Requiring 18 runs off the final over, Sophie Ecclestone turned the game around, smashing two sixes and a four off Renuka Singh. With scores levelled on the penultimate ball, Ecclestone was run-out by Richa Ghosh on the last ball, pushing the match into Super-over.
In the Super Over, UP Warriorz’s batters managed 8 runs as Kim Garth bowled an amazing over. RCB required 9 to win but Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh could muster only 4 as Sophie Ecclestone, the hero of the match, bowled a tight over, ensuring the victory for her team.
Highlights from the match:
Sophie Ecclestone – 33(19), 0/29(4) & 0/4(1)
It was truly her day, as she single-handedly steered UP to victory from a very tough position. With one wicket remaining and 18 runs required off the final over, Ecclestone smashed two sixes and a four off Renuka Singh to level the scores and send the match into a super over. She had also hit two sixes in the 18th over off Georgia Wareham. Tasked with defending 8 runs in the super over, Ecclestone rose to the challenge, conceding only 4 runs and securing a thrilling win for UP while winning the Player of the Match.
Ellyse Perry – 90*(56) & 1/10(2)
Ellyse Perry played a blistering innings, walking in at 23/1 with RCB reeling from the loss of skipper Smriti Mandhana. She unleashed a batting masterclass, scoring 90 off 56 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes. She stitched a 94-run partnership with Danni-Wyatt to take RCB to 180. In the 19th over, she took Deepti Sharma to task, smashing two fours and a six. This was her highest score in the tournament and propelled her to become first batter to get 800 runs in WPL history. Additionally, in her first bowling stint in the tournament after an injury, she claimed the crucial wicket of Shweta Sehrawat who had been batting fluently.
Sneh Rana – 3/27(3)
Sneh Rana made a dream debut for RCB, finishing with impressive figures of 3/27 in 3 overs. She struck first by deceiving Tahlia McGrath with a cleverly dangled carrot outside off and then had Deepti Sharma caught behind for a crucial breakthrough, following a successful review. Her third wicket came when Uma Chetry fell to a well-set trap attempting to slog a fullish ball on the stumps, only to be caught by Georgia Wareham.
Danni-Wyatt Hodge – 57(41)
Danni Wyatt played a resilient innings, finishing as the team’s second-highest scorer after Ellyse Perry. She made the most of an early reprieve, having been dropped by Shweta Sehrawat in the second over. She, then, smashed 4 fours and 3 sixes, including a sequence of three consecutive fours off Kranti Goud in the 13th over, which displayed her ability to shift gears and accelerate the scoring. Wyatt’s partnership of 94 with Ellyse Perry was the highlight of the innings. Her innings came to an end as she miscued a short, slower delivery from McGrath in the 15th over.
Kiran Navgire – 24(12)
Kiran Navgire came out with an attacking mindset, racing to 24 off just 12 balls with a strike rate of 200. She opened her account in the very first over, with a cracking drive through extra cover, followed by a powerful straight hit past long-on. She continued her onslaught in the second over, hitting two more fours and a six over deep square leg. However, her attacking approach led to her dismissal as Renuka Singh’s in-swinging delivery sneaked past her bat and crashed into the leg stump.
Shweta Sehrawat – 31(25)
Shweta Sehrawat played a crucial role in stabilizing UP’s chase, scoring a pivotal 31 off 25, including 4 fours. Notably, she hit two consecutive fours in the 10th over off Georgia Wareham. She walked in at a critical juncture, with her team at 50/3 and steadied the innings with important partnerships with Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris and Uma Chetry before eventually falling to Ellyse Perry in 15th over.
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