Riding on a fifer from Malayali spinner S Asha, RCB edged UP Warriorz by 2 runs in the Women's Premier League in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Thiruvananthapuram native Asha, who has played for Kerala, bagged 5/22 as RCB restricted the Warriorz to 155/7 after posting 157/6. Earlier, Richa Ghosh and Sabbhineni Meghana scored fifties on a slightly tacky pitch.
Meghana (53, 44b, 7x4, 1x6) and Richa (62, 37b, 12x4) added 71 runs for the fourth wicket in 50 balls as the Royal Challengers recovered from a shaky 54 for three in 7.5 overs after being asked to bat first.
Sensing the situation, both Meghana and Richa took their time to settle into their partnership, but once they got their eyes in, the RCB pair did not look back.
Meghana, who was dropped on 20 and 22, made full use of those let-offs to play some stunning shots around the ground. Her thumping loft over extra cover for a six off left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad was good enough to watch in loop.
She reached her fifty in 40 balls, and Richa, who hammered pacer Saima Thakor for 16 runs in the 14th over, reached her own mark soon off 31 balls with a four off Tahlia McGrath.
The partnership was broken when Gayakwad had Meghana stumped by Alyssa Healy.
But before that steady stand, RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry struggled to come to terms with the sluggishness of the track, perishing in their attempt to force the pace.
(With agency inputs)
