RCB Women vs Gujarat Giants Match Preview- WPL 2024, Match 5

Royal Challengers Bangalore takes on Gujarat Giants in match 5 of WPL 2024 in Bengaluru on Tuesday, February 27. This is the second match for both teams this season. The Bengaluru phase of WPL 2024 will see a total of 11 matches The rest of the matches will be held in Delhi.

Date and Venue

The RCB Women vs Gujarat Giants match will be played in Bengaluru on Tuesday, February 26. The match starts at 7.30 pm IST. The venue is known to be a high-scoring ground in T20I cricket.

Team Analysis- WPL 2024 Match 5

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women

RCB Women will be led by Smriti Mandhana. She led her team to a win over UP Warriorz in their first game. Shobana Asha’s fifer helped the side defend 157. However, concerns remain with the ground fielding and catching of the players. They looked relatively uncomfortable in the field with several lapses happening.

Mandhana is yet to score a fifty. She along with Elysse Perry and Sophie Devine for the batting core. Bowling-wise, wise Asha along with Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham form the spin trio. Indian bowlers Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Thakur are also key players.

RCB Women Squad

Smriti Mandhana (C), Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Nadine de Klerk, Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, Shubha Satheesh, S Meghana, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux

Gujarat Giants will be led by Beth Monney who replaces Sneh Rana as the skipper. Under Rana, the Giants finished last in the inaugural season.

The franchise bought the likes of Meghna Singh for Rs 30 lakh, Trisha Poojitha for Rs 10 lakh, Priya Mishra for Rs 20 lakh, Lauren Cheatle for Rs 30 lakh, Kathryn Bryce for Rs 10 lakh, Mannat Kashyap for Rs 10 lakh), Veda Krishnamurthy for Rs 30 lakh and Tarannum Pathan for Rs 10 lakh).

The side has a few key players ruled out due to injury concerns. Kashvee Gautam who was bought for 2 crores was ruled out with an injury.

The franchise has roped in Sayali Sathgare from Mumbai as a replacement for young Kashvee, who was also a part of the Smriti Mandhana-led Trailblazers in the Women’s T20 Challenge back in 2020. Also, Lauren Cheatle has been ruled out with health concerns with Kiwi veteran Lea Tahuhu replacing her in the squad.

Gujarat Giants Squad

Beth Mooney (C), Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnam Shakil, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Phoebe Litchfield, Meghna Singh, Trisha Poojitha, Sayali Sathgare, Priya Mishra, Lea Tahuhu, Kathryn Bryce, Mannat Kashyap, Veda Krishnamurthy, Tarannum Pathan

Key Battles

Smriti Mandhana vs Ashleigh Gardner

Mandhana v Gardner has been a brilliant rivalry over the years. In Test cricket, Mandha has had the wood over Gardner. The Indian opener has been dismissed four times by her in ODIs, and four times in T20Is. Gardner dismissed Smriti in both the WPL games last year.

Sophie Devine vs Sneh Rana

Rana has had the wood over Devine. In ODIs, she has bowled to her 19 deliveries giving just 11 runs and dismissing her onnce. In the WPL, Rana has conceded just 8 runs in 10 balls against her. Given that Devine was dismissed by spin in her first game, Rana should be aiming her wicket.

Key Players

For RCB Women, Smriti Mandhahan, Sophie Devine, and Elysse Perry are the key players with the bat. With the ball, after her performance against UP Warriorz, Asha Shobana is the real key, alongside Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham.

For Gujarat Titans, skipper Beth Mooney, Laura Wolvaardt, Veda Krishnamurthy, Harleen Deo, and Ashleigh Gardner are the key players with bat and ball.

Weather and Pitch

The weather conditions will be ideal for this match with the temperature in the evening around 22-25 degrees. Speaking about the pitch, the Chinnaswamy track has always been a batting-friendly wicket with the teams preferring to chase at this venue.

Conclusion

Both teams won one game each last season. Heading into this game, RCB Women are looking better on the two sides. Smriti Mandhana needs a big score as she eyes up her maiden WPL fifty.

Also Read: Watch Smriti Mandhana left stunned after a massive reception at the Chinnaswamy Stadium for RCB’s first game of WPL 2024