Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s search for their first home victory of the season continued as Gujarat Giants, powered by a stellar all-round performance from Ashleigh Gardner, handed them another setback. After starting the season with back-to-back wins, RCB failed to make the most of their home advantage, slumping to their third consecutive defeat on Thursday (February 27).

Gujarat Giants Chase 126 with Ease

Set a modest target of 126, Gujarat Giants began cautiously. Renuka Singh got early swing and created pressure, with D Hemalatha edging her way to some streaky runs. Renuka’s persistence paid off when Hemalatha danced down the track and missed the ball, allowing Richa Ghosh to complete a sharp stumping. The pacer struck again in her fourth over, removing Gujarat captain Beth Mooney.

However, Gardner entered with intent, smashing her first ball for a boundary. With Renuka completing her spell, RCB needed another bowler to maintain the momentum, but Gardner capitalized on the bowling change. She dismantled Prema Rawat with a flurry of boundaries, scoring 4,4,4,6 in one over. Even though Harleen Deol fell cheaply, RCB needed more breakthroughs to stay in the contest.

By the time the next wicket fell, Gujarat was firmly in control. A missed chance in the 13th over, when Ghosh dropped an outside edge, further dented RCB’s hopes. Phoebe Litchfield punished them immediately with a couple of boundaries. Any lingering hope for RCB was crushed when Gardner smashed consecutive sixes off Georgia Wareham to bring up her half-century in style. She departed for a well-made 58, but the job was nearly done, with her teammates sealing the chase in 16.3 overs.

RCB’s Batting Struggles Continue

Put in to bat first, RCB endured a disastrous start in the powerplay. Danielle Wyatt-Hodge flicked a boundary off Deandra Dottin’s second delivery but was soon trapped LBW. A massive blow followed when the in-form Ellyse Perry mistimed a short ball straight to square leg, gifting Gardner a wicket in her first over. Kashvee Gautam then tightened the screws with two economical overs, putting additional pressure on Smriti Mandhana. The RCB captain, struggling at 10 off 19 balls, eventually perished trying to break free, holing out to deep midwicket.

At 26/3 after six overs, RCB desperately needed a partnership. Kanika Ahuja and Raghvi Bist briefly revived the innings, taking 18 runs off Priya Mishra in one over. Ahuja’s aggressive strokeplay and Bist’s six in the next over provided a much-needed boost. However, just as the momentum shifted, Bist’s poor decision-making proved costly. After Gardner dropped a simple catch, Bist attempted an unnecessary single and was run out immediately.

RCB’s innings fell apart from there. Ahuja was dismissed in the following over, and at 78/5, there was no way back. With Ghosh failing to make an impact in the death overs, RCB managed just one boundary in the final stretch, finishing with a below-par 125/7.

Gujarat Giants chased down the target with 21 balls to spare, highlighting RCB’s ongoing struggles at home.

Brief Scores:

🏏 Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 125/7 in 20 overs
(Kanika Ahuja 33 off 27, Raghvi Bist 22 off 18; Tanuja Kanwar 2/16, Deandra Dottin 2/31)
🏏 Gujarat Giants: 126/4 in 16.3 overs
(Ashleigh Gardner 58 off 32, Phoebe Litchfield 30* off 25; Renuka Singh 2/24)
🎯 Result: Gujarat Giants won by 6 wickets with 21 balls to spare