Match Center

Right then, this is it from Match 5 in which Bangalore humbled Gujarat in a dominating fashion and registered their second win on the trot. But the cricketing action continues in the Women's T20 League as Mumbai and UP will lock horns on Wednesday, 28th of February in Match 6 at the same venue of M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. That match will commence at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as always, you can join us on the build-up before. Till then, cheers and take care!

Renuka Singh is the Player of the Match for her phenomenal bowling spell (4-0-14-2). She says that this was her best bowling performance so far and that she has put on a lot of hard work for this season and she is delighted to get the results in her favor. Also adds that she has been working for quite some time in the NCA to swing the ball from around the wicket. Ends up by saying she aims to continue to contribute to the team in the coming games.

The winning skipper of Bangalore, Smriti Mandhana starts by thanking the crowd for their support. Mentions that there was no message and the plan was to keep simple and watch the ball and react accordingly. Reckons that she and Sophie Devine do best when they are not thinking. States that Renuka can get the ball to swing back in and Devine can get the ball to go away and both were brilliant with the new ball. She says that S Meghana is a seasoned player in the domestic arena and the best thing about her is that she can strike at a good rate and can also anchor the innings. Ends by thanking the support staff and the Bangalore management for the work they have put in over the last year.

The Presentation ceremony...

Sabbhineni Meghana is also up for a chat. She says she just wanted to take the confidence from the first game and play her natural game, and utilize the power play. She mentions that after Smriti got out, she just wanted to rotate the strike, get closer, and give more strikes to Perry. Also adds that in between she was getting those boundaries off the poor deliveries. Adds she just got the message to calm down and take no risks. Ends up saying that she's happy with the way the team performed as a group.

Beth Mooney, the skipper of Gujarat is up for a quick chat. She says that defending a low total was always going to be hard, more so given the batting prowess of Bangalore. Mentions that they will go back to the drawing board and think about what is working for them. Reckons that it is about taking the high-percentage options at the right time. Adds that they should look to score more in the middle phase. On the move to push Veda down the order, she replies that Bangalore have good spinners, so the thinking was to allow Veda to open up and bat freely against the spinners. Feels that they have the right personnel, and it is about clicking collectively. Further adds that the girls have been chosen for a reason, and they need to believe in their skillset. Hopes that they stick to this group and are able to get the most out of them.

Earlier in the game, Gujarat were invited to bat and their woes of failing to construct partnerships up top continued which created too much pressure for the middle order to hold on and they just kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bangalore's bowlers were right on the spot with their bowling. Sophie Molineux and Renuka Singh did all the damage with the ball. Sophie Devine, although she didn't get any wickets, she was absolutely economical with the ball. Coming to chase a below run-a-ball target of 108, Smriti Mandhana, with no mercy at all, rocketed early on and helped her team win their second game in a convincing manner and now they sit on the top of the table with four points.

On the other hand, Gujarat's bowlers again, didn't had too many on the board to defend and they were taken aback by Smriti's aggression. They were too loose in their lines and lengths to be fair. They were sub-standard in the field as well which further compounded their woes. Tanuja Kanwar did manage to get rid of Smriti but the damage was already done by then. Nothing went in the favor of Gujarat in both innings and they ended up on the losing side for the second consecutive time.

Dominance at its level best from Bangalore as they win their second game on the trot, in a convincing manner by 8 wickets and 45 balls remaining. Whereas, Gujarat have been humbled for the second consecutive time after their ordinary performances with the bat and the ball. Bangalore just did not give any breathing space for Gujarat and courtesy of Smriti Mandhana's aggression early on, they unsettled the opposition bowlers right from the beginning. Smriti Mandhana started off to a flier and dealt in boundaries, punishing the poor deliveries right and left. Sophie Devine, just when she was about to throttle, perished on a delivery that skidded and hurried her on the shot, but that didn't stop Smriti at all as she kept toying around with the field and was co-partnered pretty well by Sabbhineni Meghana who continued her form from the previous game and further inflated the scoring rate. After Smriti's departure, Ellyse Perry took the job to finish off in style and helped Banglore to taste their second victory of the season.

FOUR! THAT'S IT! Ellyse Perry finishes it off with a boundary! Sneh Rana errs in line and length as this is way too short and down leg, Ellyse Perry gets inside the line nice and early and lifts her front leg to swat it past short fine leg for a boundary. Bangalore win by 8 wickets and make it two wins out of two.

This is short and turning in, on middle, Ellyse Perry goes on the back foot and plays it with the turn to mid-wicket.

Right in the slot for the batter, on off, Sabbhineni Meghana goes deep in her crease and drills it down to long off for a single.

Strays on the pads again, on a fullish length, Sabbhineni Meghana nudges it behind square on the leg side and keeps the strike with a single.

Slanting in, on a length, on the pads, Ellyse Perry shimmies down the track and clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Absolutely crunched! Meghna bowls it full and on middle and leg, Ellyse Perry backs away and takes no half-measures as she smokes it hard to the left of long on for a boundary. The 100 comes up for Bangalore and they are now just a hit away.

Full and on middle and leg, Sabbhineni Meghana rolls her wrists and works it in front of deep mid-wicket for one.

Angling into the pads, on a length, Ellyse Perry uses her feet and clips it in front of square on the leg side for a single.