"I thought eight or nine runs might not be enough": Mithali Raj on UP Warriorz's historic Super Over win

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 25 (ANI): In a gripping encounter that went down to the wire, UP Warriorz outclassed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a Super Over to claim victory in the Women's Premier League (WPL). The match marked a historic moment, as it was the first time a WPL game was decided in a Super Over.
The high-scoring contest ended in a dramatic tie. UP Warriorz sent Grace Harris and Chinelle Henry to bat first in the Super Over, they managed 8/1. RCB made 4, and lost the match.
Former Indian captain and cricketing legend Mithali Raj, reflected on the tense finale and the exceptional performance of the UP Warriorz. She admitted she had doubts about whether their total in the Super Over would be enough.
"At one point, I thought that eight or nine runs might not be enough in a Super Over, especially in the WPL, where scoring rates often soar to 12 or 13 runs per over, making chases highly achievable," Raj said on JioHotstar.
She added, "With just eight runs on the board and RCB needing nine to win, the odds seemed in their favour. However, what a remarkable over Sophie Ecclestone delivered for UP Warriorz!"
Sophie Ecclestone, who had already made her mark with the bat, rose to the occasion once again with the ball in the decisive over. Raj praised her match-winning efforts, highlighting the electrifying atmosphere inside the stadium.
"Just imagine--the team winning in a Super Over in front of a packed stadium, where the entire crowd was backing RCB. It was truly an unforgettable moment," she added.
Raj also pointed out that UP Warriorz had opportunities to close the game earlier, particularly in the final ball of regulation play.
"The UP Warriorz could have secured the win earlier, right until the final ball, when Kranti Goud completely missed making contact with the bat. However, overall, the team was exceptional. Sophie Ecclestone was outstanding, both with the bat and in the Super Over with the ball. Her performance was simply sensational," Raj concluded.
Kim Garth, who had conceded 40 runs in her four-over spell, was handed the responsibility by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana. Garth repaid the faith entrusted to her by keeping Harris and Herny silent.
After giving away a couple of runs on her first two deliveries, Garth made Henry commit to slog the ball away, who gave away a healthy edge to Richa Ghosh.
Sophie Ecclestone came in to bat next and combined to pick a couple of singles to end with just eight runs off the over. For RCB, captain Mandhana and Ghosh came out to chase nine runs in six overs.
Ecclestone was tasked to defend the score against the hard-hitting RCB duo. She weaved magic with her spinning deliveries and gave away just three runs in five deliveries. RCB needed a six to take away the win, and Mandhana had to take the brunt on her shoulders of delivering the winning shot.
Ecclestone bowled a low full toss on the pads, but Mandhana failed to clear the boundary rope and saw her side succumb to defeat.
Before the Super Over action, the extraordinary night was filled with action-packed performances. After RCB blazed their way to 180/6, courtesy of Ellyse Perry's splendid 90* from a mere 56 deliveries, UPW were quick off the blocks in the powerplay.
Kiran Navgire's explosive 24 off just 12 deliveries was brought to an end by Renuka Thakur. RCB's pace spearhead struck again by dismissing Vrinda Dinesh cheaply.RCB debutant Sneh Rana made an instant impact by having Tahlia McGrath stumped as UP Warriorz ended the powerplay at 57/3.
Deepti Sharma played the captain's role and led the counter-attack against the RCB bowlers. She reeled off a four and a six from Sneh in the eighth over to keep the scoreboard ticking. But Sneh had the last laugh by luring Deepti (25 off 13) to give away an edge to Ghosh behind the stumps.
Grace Harris and Shweta Sehrawat tried to rebuild their innings, but Mandhana introduced Garth to detail their plans. She dismissed Harris in the 11th over, leaving UPW dwindling at 93/5.
After Uma Chetry and Chinelle Henry failed to leave an impact, Ecclestone stepped up the crease and threatened to take the game away from RCB. Her swift attack left UPW requiring 18 runs in the final over.
Ecclestone dispatched the ball past the boundary line twice off Renuka Thakur. She followed it up with a boundary, bringing the equation down to 2 from 2 deliveries. She took a single on the penultimate delivery to leave the game hanging at one needed in the last ball.
Kranti Goud was on strike and had to find a way to pick up a single. Renuka bowled it wide outside off, but Kranti missed. Sophie, on the other end, charged for a bye. Ghosh was lightning quick behind the stump; she collected the ball and sprinted to the stumps to run her out, sending the game to Super Over. (ANI)