Women’s Premier League: Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning and USA’s Tara Norris script big win for Delhi Capitals over RCB

Later, American Tara Norris, the only player from an Associate Member in the tournament, ran through RCB’s middle order with the tournament’s first five-wicket haul as Delhi brushed aside Bangalore by 60 runs in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Shafali, who was heavily criticised for her fielding in the recent T20 World Cup, pulled off a couple of stunners in the field to go with her strokeful 45-ball 84. Chasing 224, RCB were restricted to 163 for 8 in 20 overs.

Shafali-Lanning show

What could Indian players learn from the WPL? It was answered when Shafali and Lanning were batting together. Shafali’s struggles against short-pitched stuff are well known. In the fifth over of Delhi’s innings, Ellyse Perry banged one in short and it was the only time during her knock that Shafali looked troubled. Lanning walked down to the pitch and had a word with her younger partner. A couple of balls later, Shafali hammered Perry for a boundary, which was followed by a fist pump.

During the innings break, Shafali said Lanning had eased her nerves and wanted her to bat through the innings. “I was a bit nervous at the start. Meg helped me a lot in the middle, she kept on telling me which shots to play and also told me to be responsible with the bat.”

The duo racked up 57 runs in the Powerplay. They matched each other as the partnership progressed. Shafali was all muscle, while it was all class from Lanning at the other end. It was Lanning who set the tone with back-to- back boundaries off Megan Schutt. In the fourth over of the innings, Smriti brought on off-spinner Preeti Bose and Shafali welcomed her with a big six over mid-on.

The Delhi openers reserved their best for Sophie Devine, who was pasted for 20 runs in the sixth over of the innings.

Smriti employed Sobhana Asha and Shafali went absolutely bonkers, belting the off-spinner for 22 runs in the eighth over.

After the strategic timeout, Shafali and Lanning came down on the Bangalore bowlers like a ton of bricks as they put on 100 runs in the 9.4 overs and at the halfway stage, Delhi were 105 for no loss.

RCB’s lack of bowling experience was exposed in the very first game. Perry, Heather Knight and Devine don’t bowl much and their strike bowlers Renuka Singh and Megan Schutt looked ordinary.

It was Knight who broke the partnership and ended Lanning’s excellent knock of 72 off just 43 balls. The England skipper struck again in the same over when she dismissed Shafali.

The wickets didn’t turn the tide towards Bangalore as Marizanne Kapp (39 off 17 balls) and Jemimah Rodrigues (22 off 15 balls) smashed 60 off just 31 deliveries, providing the finishing touches as the Capitals ended with 224 for 2 in 20 overs.

Norris dismantles RCB

Lanning pulled a rabbit out of her hat by selecting a 24-year-old American left-arm seamer Norris in the playing XI. Norris was included alongside four other overseas players. According to the tournament rules, “A team will be allowed to have a maximum of five overseas players, four of whom may come from Full Member nations and the fifth from an Associate Member nation.”

No other team picked a player from an Associate Member nation during the auction, but Delhi were rewarded for their punt in the first match itself.

Norris made an immediate impact when she accounted for big-hitting Perry off her third ball. Perry (31 off 19 balls), looking dangerous during her stay at the crease, dragged one onto the stumps. She then removed Disha Kasat (9) in the same over. In her second over, Norris was on a hat-trick after taking the wickets of Richa Ghosh (2) and Kanika Ahuja (0) off successive deliveries. She completed her fifer in her last over when she sent Heather Knight (34 off 21 balls) back to the hut.

It was never going to be an easy chase for RCB but with the firepower they have in their batting ranks, they had a chance. Smriti (35 off 23 balls) and Devine (14 off 11 balls) were off to a flier as they put 41 runs for the opening wicket without taking any risks.

In the fifth over, Lanning gave the bowl to Alice Capsey, who in her international career has taken only one wicket in 15 outings but got two on Sunday – Devine and Smriti.

The cameos from Smriti, Perry, Knight and Schutt didn’t add up to much and RCB will have to ponder a lot over their bowling. On the other hand, Lanning, who received a rapturous applause from the Mumbai crowd, showed why she is probably the best leader in world cricket.

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Delhi Capitals 223/2 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 84, Meg Lanning 72, Marizanne Kapp 40 not out, Jemimah Rodrigues 22 not out; Heather Knight 2/40) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 163/8 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 31; Tara Norris 5/29) by 60 runs