WPL 2025: RCB hit by bowling bug

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women’s struggles with the ball in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) seem to mirror the long-standing bowling woes of their men’s team in the IPL. If their bowling issues remain unaddressed, it could seriously jeopardize their chances of defending their WPL title.

. Despite coming under the cosh by the free-swinging UP Warriorz women for the better part of the high-octane chase in front of their adoring fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday, the RCB bowlers somehow managed to keep the game under control by picking up wickets at regular intervals. Eventually, the match looked all but wrapped up in their favour when Warriorz needed 18 off the last over in pursuit of 181.

. Skipper Smriti Mandhana had no hesitation in throwing the ball to her trusted lieutenant Renuka Singh to complete the job but the pace ace totally the fluffed the lines (and lengths) against a courageous Sophie Ecclestone, who clobbered two monstrous sixes and a four to push the contest into a Super Over which was eventually won by Warriorz.

. While such final over lapses not a novelty in T20 cricket and Renuka had had a decent game up until then, one can’t absolve the Royal Challengers of erratic bowling that has now occurred three times in four games.

.RCB sink to excellent Ecclestone. In the opening game against Gujarat Giants in Vadodara, they conceded 201/5 and were only saved by the brilliances of Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh. They fared well against Delhi Capitals where they bowled them out for 141 but the errors returned in the first game at Chinnaswamy where they failed to defend 168 against Mumbai Indians, diminutive 16-year-old G Kamalini and Amanjot Kaur stealing the show with an unbroken 26-run partnership off 14 balls for the seventh wicket.

. Personal statistics also don’t make a good reading for the RCB bowlers. Frontline pacers Renuka and Kim Grath have an economy of 7.43 and 7.93 respectively while spinners Georgia Wareham (9.06), Ekta Bisht (9.04) and Kanika Ahuja (8.57) have been unable to exert control in the crucial middle phase. RCB even handed a debut to veteran Sneh Rana against UP and while the off-spinner bagged three wickets with her attacking lines and lengths, she gave away 27 runs in 3 overs in the bargain.

. The problem so far has been the errant lines and lengths RCB have dished out so far. Either they have been too full, making it easy for the willow wielders to have a free swing of their arms, or have been guilty of bowling too short where even the sweeper fielders end up being just spectators given the short square boundaries.

. While it’s a given that T20 is tailor-made for the batters, it’s the bowlers who are the difference makers. RCB wore the crown last season due to the outstanding performances of spritely young spinner Shreyanka Patil (13 wkts, 7.30 economy), Asha Sobhana (12, 7.11), Sophie Molineux (12, 7.31) and Ellyse Perry (7, 6.81). As a pack they were economical and possessed wicket-taking abilities.

. Unfortunately, Shreyanka, Sobhana and Molineux have been ruled out this WPL due to injuries and this has completely broken the back of RCB. The champions will be hoping the under-fire new pack helps them get up and running before time runs out.

WPL 2025: RCB hit by bowling bug

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