WPL: Milestones don't get to me, it was about getting my team home earlier, remarks RCB opener Devine after a match-winning knock against GG
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ollowing her side's eight-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in their Women's Premier League (WPL) match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) opener Sophie Devine said that milestones do not matter to her and at the score of 99, it was about getting the team to the victory as soon as possible.
An explosive half-century by Sophie Devine and her 125-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinch an eight-wicket win over Gujarat Giants (GG) in a Women's Premier League (WPL) match at Brabourne Stadium on Saturday.
"(On getting Orange Cap for most runs in WPL) Always nice to beat Meg (Meg Lanning) in something. (On milestone of fastest 100) I was in the zone tonight, milestones do not get to me so at 99 it was not about a drop and run, it was about getting the team home earlier. Hopefully, we can still be in the run for the playoffs. I think I have gotten used to the conditions now, having watched a few games and I am learning every day. It perhaps helps that I'm a bit older. Massive credit to the bowlers earlier, conditions were tough with minimal swing and no spin. They have done a lot of hard work today. I think I have just snuck in and taken the credit with this inning. I think the one that ended up in the top tiers was my favourite shot of today," said Devine in a post-match presentation.
After electing to bat first, GG put on a total of 188/4 on the board. Opener Laura Wolvaardt scored a brilliant 68 off 42 balls, consisting of nine fours and two sixes. She had a 52-run stand for the third wicket with all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, who also scored 45 off 26 balls, consisting of six fours and a six.
Shreyanka Patil (2/17) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Sophie Devine and Preeti Bose took a wicket each.
Chasing 189, RCB was off to a brilliant start. Openers Smriti Mandhana (37) and Devine put on an opening stand of 125 runs in just 56 balls.
Devine smashed 99 in just 36 balls. Her knock was decorated with nine fours and eight sixes. Following the dismissal of openers, Ellyse Perry (19*) and Heather Knight (22*) took their team to a win.
The explosive run-chase has helped RCB climb the fourth spot in the points table, with two wins and five losses in seven matches. They have a total of four points. GG has similar figures in the points table but RCB has a better run rate.
Devine was given the 'Player of the Match' award for her knock. Her match-winning contribution elevated her to the top of the run-getters list. In seven matches, she has scored 266 runs at an average of 38.00. She has scored two half-centuries in the tournament, with the best score of 99. Her strike rate in WPL 2023 is 175.00.
Brief Scores Gujarat Giants 188/4 (Laura Wolvaardt 63, Ashleigh Gardner 41, Shreyanka Patil 2/17) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/2 in 15.3 overs (Sophie Devine 99, Smriti Mandhana 37, Sneh Rana 1/25).
✔️ WPL: Milestones don't get to me, it was about getting my team home earlier, remarks RCB opener Devine after a match-winning knock against GG
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