In a thrilling contest at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, UP Warriorz Women outlasted Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women by 12 runs in the 18th match of the Women’s Premier League 2025. A stunning knock by Grace Harris, combined with an all-round effort from the UPW bowlers, ultimately sealed the victory. Despite a valiant chase by RCB, they fell short in the end.

Harris, Voll Power UP Warriorz to 225

Batting first after RCB opted to bowl, UP Warriorz made full use of the opportunity, posting an imposing 225/5. Right from the start, Grace Harris set the tone with a blistering 39 off 22 balls. Meanwhile, Georgia Voll anchored the innings with an unbeaten 99 off 56. Furthermore, Kiran Navgire’s quickfire 46 added further momentum to the innings. Although UPW lost some steam towards the end, they had already ensured a daunting target for RCB.

For RCB, Georgia Wareham (3/32) was the standout bowler, while Charlie Dean and Ellyse Perry also chipped in with a wicket each.

RCB’s Fightback Falls Short

Chasing 226, RCB faced an early setback when Smriti Mandhana departed cheaply. However, Ellyse Perry (28) and Richa Ghosh (69) revived the innings with crucial contributions. As the required run rate climbed, Sneh Rana’s late onslaught (26 off 24) kept RCB’s hopes alive. Nevertheless, UPW’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Deepti Sharma (3/50) and Sophie Ecclestone (3/25), ensured that RCB fell just short of the target. Ultimately, UP Warriorz held their nerve to clinch a hard-fought victory.

Key Moments:

• Grace Harris’ explosive start provided UPW with early momentum.
• Georgia Voll’s unbeaten 99 anchored the innings brilliantly.
• Richa Ghosh’s counterattack gave RCB a fighting chance.
• Sophie Ecclestone’s crucial breakthroughs shifted the momentum in UPW’s favor.

Scorecard:

UP Warriorz Women Innings: 225/5 (20 Overs)

• Georgia Voll: 99* (56)
• Grace Harris: 39 (22) [Run out]
• Kiran Navgire: 46 (16) [b Wareham]
• Chinelle Henry: 19 (15) [b Wareham]
• Sophie Ecclestone: 13 (10) [b Dean]
• Deepti Sharma (c): 1 (1) [Run out]
• Extras: 8 (b 0, lb 3, w 5, nb 0)

Fall of Wickets: 77-1, 148-2, 191-3, 223-4, 225-5

Bowling:

• Georgia Wareham: 4-0-32-3
• Charlie Dean: 4-0-47-1
• Ellyse Perry: 4-0-35-1
• Kim Garth: 4-0-42-0

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Innings: 213/10 (19.3 Overs)

• Richa Ghosh (wk): 69 (33) [b Deepti]
• Ellyse Perry: 28 (15) [b Sarvani]
• Sabbhineni Meghana: 27 (12) [b Ecclestone]
• Sneh Rana: 26 (24) [b Deepti]
• Georgia Wareham: 17 (15) [c Goel, b Ecclestone]
• Charlotte Dean: 9 (5) [c Navgire, b Ecclestone]
• Kim Garth: 3* (4)
• Smriti Mandhana (c): 4 (4) [c Voll, b Henry]
• Raghvi Bist: 14 (12) [c Chetry, b Henry]
• Kanika Ahuja: 8 (11) [b Deepti]
• Renuka Singh Thakur: 1 (1) [Run out]
• Extras: 7 (b 0, lb 0, w 6, nb 1)

Fall of Wickets: 29-1, 43-2, 76-3, 80-4, 107-5, 171-6, 182-7, 183-8, 211-9, 213-10

Bowling:

• Deepti Sharma: 4-0-50-3
• Sophie Ecclestone: 4-0-25-3
• Chinelle Henry: 4-0-39-2
• Kranti Goud: 3-0-35-0
• Anjali Sarvani: 3-0-40-1
• Grace Harris: 1-0-2-0

What’s Next?

With this win, UP Warriorz strengthen their position in the WPL 2025 standings. Meanwhile, RCB will need to regroup quickly as they look to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures. Looking ahead, both teams will be aiming to refine their strategies for the crucial matches ahead