The 12th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 took place at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where Gujarat Giants Women (GGW) faced off against Royal Challengers Bangalore Women (RCBW). Gujarat won the toss and opted to bowl first, applying early pressure on RCB’s top order. This decision proved to be crucial as Bangalore struggled to gain momentum in their innings.
RCB’s Struggles in the Powerplay
RCB’s innings began on a shaky note, losing crucial wickets early in the powerplay. The top-order batters, including skipper Smriti Mandhana, failed to provide stability. The team managed only 26 runs in the first six overs, leaving the middle order with a mountain to climb.
Smriti Mandhana’s Dismissal
Smriti Mandhana, already under pressure following a poor outing in the last match, played a reckless slog sweep in the sixth over against Tanuja Kanwar. The full delivery outside off-stump enticed her into an aggressive stroke, but she failed to generate enough power. Harleen Deol completed a comfortable catch at deep midwicket, sending Mandhana back for a disappointing 10 off 20 balls. RCB was left struggling at 25/3.
#GG get the HUGE WICKET 👏
Smriti Mandhana hits one straight to Harleen Deol and #RCB are 26/3 after 6 overs 😮
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/G1rjRvSkxu#TATAWPL | #RCBvGG | @Giant_Cricket pic.twitter.com/X9LQp52NcK
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 27, 2025
Social Media Reactions
Mandhana’s failure ignited social media, with fans criticizing her shot selection and inconsistency. Many pointed out her inability to chase nine runs in a Super Over against UP Warriorz in the previous match, further fueling the criticism.
Smriti blunder continues… 👏🤣😄😳@mandhana_smriti you rocks!🤣👏👀😳😀#RCBvGG
— ɴɪᴊɪɴ ᴊᴏʜɴʏ (@johnynijin) February 27, 2025
How can u win a match when ur @RCBTweets captain Smriti Mandhana scores blistering 10 runs off 20 balls. @wplt20 @GujaratGiants #RCBvGG #Smritimandhana
— Sanjay Lama (@sanjaylama64564) February 27, 2025
Smriti Mandhana is the 2nd most overrated cricketer after tuk tuk Dottendra Dhobi
— Harsh (@evil_xandred) February 27, 2025
Please remove @mandhana_smriti from the team my 9 years old niece has better mind than her whom to give over or not
— Ayush Jain (@ayushja201728) February 27, 2025
Smriti Mandhana’s WPL struggles continue—disappointing with the bat and unable to inspire RCB as captain.
Big names need to step up when it matters! 🏏💔#WPL #rcb pic.twitter.com/YhiNgIEttg
— Aman Deep Saxena (@aman_saxena_03) February 27, 2025
Sabse ghatiya batter Smriti mandhana 🤡
— long on (@longon111) February 27, 2025
Smriti mandhana is the biggest fraud in women's cricket #WPL #RCnvGG#WPL2025 #CT2025 #ViratKohli #Rohit #ChampionsTrophy #INDvPAK #ChampionsTrophy2025 #ICCChampionsTrophy https://t.co/57ZHyV7RwN
— Beb_ra (@bebra_be) February 27, 2025
RCB’s Middle-Order Resilience
Raghvi Bist and Kanika Ahuja attempted to stabilize RCB’s innings with a 48-run stand. However, Gujarat’s bowlers consistently struck at crucial junctures, preventing any real momentum from building. Contributions from Richa Ghosh and Georgia Wareham helped RCB inch past 120, but it was far from a competitive total.
Gujarat’s Bowling Dominance
Gujarat’s bowling unit performed exceptionally well, keeping RCB’s batters under constant pressure. Tanuja Kanwar and Deandra Dottin took two wickets each, while Ashleigh Gardner and Kashvee Gautam picked up one apiece. Their disciplined effort ensured that Bengaluru was restricted to a below-par score of 125.
Despite some middle-order resistance, RCB managed only 125 runs in 20 overs. The slow pitch assisted bowlers, but the total still seemed inadequate for a team defending against a strong Gujarat batting lineup.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.