UP Warriorz pulled off an emphatic performance, defeating Royal Challengers Bengaluru in game 18 of the WPL 2025, eliminating RCB from the tournament.
Game 18 of the ongoing WPL saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on UP Warriorz. Both sides locked horns at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on March 8, and the clash began with UP Warriorz coming in to bat first. Opening their innings with Georgia Voll and Grace Harris, Warriorz got off to a great start.
Harris scored 39 runs, whereas Voll went unbeaten on a score of 99*, registering the joint highest individual score in WPL history. Furthermore, Kiran Navgire added 46 runs in 16 deliveries, alongside Chinelle Henry, who scored 19 runs. UP Warriorz went on to post a total of 225 runs in the first innings, which was the highest ever team total in the history of the tournament.
As for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Georgia Wareham was the highest wicket-taker with two wickets to her name. Charlie Dean took one wicket as none of the other bowlers failed to amount to much. Aiming to chase down the target, Bengaluru got off to a horrid start. Sabbhineni Meghana and Smriti Mandhana scored 27 and 4 runs, respectively. Ellyse Perry and Raghvi Bist scored 28 and 14 runs, respectively, as well. Looking in deep trouble, it was the knock of Richa Ghosh that stabilised the innings for Bengaluru.
Coming in to bat under pressure, Ghosh went on to play an excellent knock. The star batter amassed 69 runs in 33 deliveries. Had Ghosh continued to bat, the situation could have looked quite different for Bengaluru. After Richa’s wicket, Bengaluru’s spirits deflated as the side quickly lost wickets from then on. Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone starred with the ball in the second innings, taking wickets at a crucial juncture. The defeat for Bengaluru meant that the defending champions have been eliminated from the third edition of the WPL, failing to make the playoffs. The side, despite winning their first two games, failed to win any from then on.
