The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) women's team will face the in-form UP Warriorz (UPW) in the final match of the Bengaluru leg of the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) on Monday, March 4.
The two sides are locked in firm in the middle of the table at the halfway stage of the competition, with only net run rate separating them for now. The Smriti Mandhana-led RCB walked away with a narrow win when the two sides faced each other earlier in the competition.
The UP Warriorz are high on confidence following two successive wins, with one of them coming against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). RCB, however, are struggling for momentum after topping the table initially. They cannot afford a third successive defeat at this stage of the competition, as it will create a distinct gap between them and the teams placed above.
The Alyssa Healy-led UPW's ascendancy stems from their decision to promote Kiran Navgire up the order, as well as their overseas stars like Grace Harris and Sophie Ecclestone playing like the genuine match-winners that they are.
Like the neck-to-neck tussle for the top positions in the points table, there is also keen competition for individual records among the players in the competition.
On that note, let us take a look at three milestones that could be broken in today’s RCB vs UPW match.
#1 Smriti Mandhana could overtake Grace Harris for the WPL 2024 Orange Cap
UP Warriorz's Grace Harris is currently perched atop the run-scoring charts, and while she has a chance to extend her lead in the upcoming encounter, she faces a strong test from Smriti Mandhana, who is not far behind.
Harris has also managed to remain unbeaten across her last two innings, and it is crucial for UPW that she maintains her form, particularly with other prominent batters like Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath struggling for form.
Meanwhile, RCB skipper Mandhana has scored 139 runs in four matches and is only 14 runs behind the Australian international for the Orange Cap.
RCB's Meghana also has an excellent chance of topping the run charts as she has compiled 137 runs in the first half of the competition.
#2 Sophie Ecclestone could overtake Radha Yadav for the WPL 2024 Purple Cap
Left-arm spinner and the No.1 ranked T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone bowled tight spells at the start of the tournament, claiming three wickets in the first three matches. She now has momentum on her side, following a match-winning spell of 3-20 against GG, which places her in Purple Cap contention like the last time around.
The English international has taken six wickets in four matches in WPL 2024 and is only one wicket away from the Purple Cap.
DC's Radha Yadav is the current Purple Cap holder, courtesy of her brilliant spell in the team's recent win over GG.
#3 Sophie Ecclestone could leapfrog Renuka Singh Thakur in the list of most dot balls bowled in WPL 2024
Sophie Ecclestone's incredible control and accuracy make it difficult for a batter to negotiate, and it comes as no surprise that she is right near the summit of the list of most dot balls bowled in the tournament so far.
The left-arm spinner has bowled 41 dot balls, which is only second to RCB's Renuka Singh Thakur's tally of 45. With RCB and UPW facing each other, it will be a straight shootout between the bowlers to end up at the top of the list.
Thakur has been influential with the new ball, with their 2024 campaign already being a massive upgrade from her previous season. Getting the ball to move, she has often bowled her overs in one single spell, and the batters have struggled to get going.
Ecclestone has conceded over 30 runs in a spell only once in the WPL season so far courtesy of the dot balls, and she will be on the lookout to put pressure on the RCB batters with deliveries that block the run flow.
Who will win the upcoming clash between RCB and UPW in the WPL 2024? Let us know what you think.
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