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The second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has so far witnessed several records being set, and some even being broken. While many players achieved individual heights, the collective efforts of players also helped teams excel.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who had a forgettable outing last season, defied all odds and put up memorable and noteworthy performances this year. The only two five-wicket hauls in WPL 2024 have been registered by RCB bowlers.
While Asha Sobhana rose to fame in RCB’s campaign opener this season by picking up a fifer, experienced all-rounder Ellyse Perry proved why she is the best in the business. She registered the best bowling figures in the tournament’s history.
In their last match of the league stage against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI), which was a must-win for RCB, Perry ran through MI’s batting lineup. She picked up six wickets in the first innings, and induced a massive collapse.
While MI had already secured their place in the top 3, a win might have helped them make a direct entry into the final. But thanks to Perry’s prowess with the ball, RCB managed to beat MI and also sealed the third spot in the points table to book themselves a playoff berth.
The WPL has so far witnessed some fine bowling performances, and on that note, let us look at the top five best bowling figures registered in the tournament.
#5 Kim Garth (GG) - 5/36 vs UP Warriorz, WPL 2023
Kim Garth became the first Gujarat Giants player, and second overall, to register a five-wicket haul in the tournament. Garth put on a show while defending a 170-run total against the UP Warriorz in the third game of WPL 2023, but eventually ended up on the losing side.
Collective efforts from top and lower middle-order batters helped GG post 169/6 in their allotted 20 overs in the first innings. While it looked like a defendable total, GG bowlers could not stop Kiran Navgire and Grace Harris from firing, as the two batters clinched a win for UPW.
Nevertheless, Kim Garth was magnificent with the ball. After dismissing UPW openers Alyssa Healy and Shweta Sehrawat, she dismissed Tahlia McGrath in the same over to make it three wickets off six deliveries.
She returned to bowl the 13th over and picked up two consecutive wickets to send Navgire and Simran Shaikh packing, thereby registering her maiden, and the tournament’s second, fifer. With the economy being on the higher side at 9.00, Garth finished with figures of 5/36 in four overs.
#4 Tara Norris (DC) - 5/29 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, WPL 2023
In just the second match of the inaugural edition of the tournament, between Delhi Capitals and RCB, Tara Norris, the associate player in the DC camp, scripted history by becoming the first player to pick up a five-wicket haul.
DC’s top-order batters put on a magnificent show. While openers Meg Lanning (72 off 43) and Shafali Verma (84 off 45) shared a 162-run partnership, Marizanne Kapp played a quickfire knock of a 17-ball 39*. Contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues (22* off 15) helped DC post a humungous total of 223/2 in the first innings.
While it was a difficult total to chase, RCB started on a high note as skipper Smriti Mandhana got to business from the start. After Alice Capsey provided DC with the initial breakthroughs, Tara Norris wreaked havoc and dismantled RCB’s middle order.
After dismissing Ellyse Perry, Disha Kasat, Richa Ghosh, and Kanika Ahuja, Norris put the final nail in the coffin by sending Heather Knight back to the dugout. With that, the USA player became the first cricketer to pick up a five-wicket haul in WPL history, thereby finishing with figures of 5/29.
#3 Asha Sobhana (RCB) - 5/22 vs UP Warriorz, WPL 2024
RCB registered a thrilling victory in their first game of WPL 2024 and started their campaign with a bang. Facing Alyssa Healy’s UP Warriorz, RCB put on a tremendous show both with bat and ball to win the game by the barest of margins, just two runs.
Batting first, half-centuries by Sabbhineni Meghana and Richa Ghosh helped RCB put 156/7 on board in 20 overs. While it looked like a chaseable total, given the pitch conditions, Asha Sobhana shone with the ball to take RCB over the line.
Sophie Molineux provided RCB with the breakthrough when she dismissed Healy in the second over, but what followed next was sheer dominance by Asha. The spinner picked up five consecutive wickets to finish with figures of 5/22, in what was her maiden WPL outing.
Asha Sobhana’s victims included Vrinda Dinesh, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Shweta Sehrawat and Kiran Navgire. Eventually, RCB restricted UPW to 155 to win the game on the final delivery.
#2 Marizanne Kapp (DC) - 5/15 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2023
In the ninth match of WPL 2023, Marizanne Kapp registered the best bowling figures of the tournament against the GG and held the feat till Perry bettered it in the 2024 edition. The Proteas all-rounder picked up a fifer, helping her side restrict GG to 105/9 in the first innings.
GG skipper Sneh Rana’s decision to bat first upon winning the toss backfired as Kapp dismissed their entire top order. She picked up three wickets in her first two overs as GG dropped to 9/3 in 2.3 overs. Kapp’s early victims included the likes of opener Sabbhineni Meghana, her South African counterpart Laura Wolvaardt, and Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner.
Returning to bowl her third over in the powerplay, Kapp dismissed the dangerous Harleen Deol. Coming back to bowl the final over of her spell, Kapp dismissed keeper-batter Sushma Verma to complete a fifer.
She recorded the best spell of WPL 2023, finishing with figures of 5/15 in four overs. Her record remained intact till Perry bettered it towards the business end of WPL 2024.
#1 Ellyse Perry (RCB) - 6/15 vs Mumbai Indians, WPL 2024
Ellyse Perry yet again proved why she is a big match player when RCB took on MI in a do-or-die clash in the 19th match of the WPL 2024. After going wicketless in the first seven games, Perry hit the jackpot in RCB’s eighth and final match of the league stage.
She scripted history by becoming the first player ever to pick up a six-wicket haul in WPL history, and the fifth player overall. Nevertheless, Perry’s 6/15 became the best-ever spell of the tournament as she bettered Marizanne Kapp’s 5/15.
Sophie Devine dismissed Hayley Matthews to break the 43-run opening stand between the latter and Sajeevan Sajana. Perry then picked up the wickets of Sajana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Nat Sciver-Brunt to trigger a collapse.
Thanks to the bowling masterclass by the Australian all-rounder, MI managed to muster only 113 runs before being dished out in 19 overs. Chasing the 114-run target, Perry then scored an unbeaten 40 off 38 deliveries to rightfully earn the Player of the Match award.
With the win, RCB, who failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, sealed a place in the top three. They’d now be motivated to give their best in the Eliminator to make it to the final and eventually lift the cup, a feat that their male counterparts haven’t achieved.
