Key Points
Richa Ghosh smashed unbeaten 64 off 26 balls
RCB chased 202 against Gujarat Giants
Perry praised Richa's calm batting approach
Kanika Ahuja also made crucial 30* runs
At the BCA Stadium on Friday evening, Richa made GG pay heavily for dropping her on nought by hitting a 26-ball 64 not out, including hitting captain Ashleigh Gardner for 23 runs in the 16th over to turn the game in RCB's favour and help them start their title defence on a winning note.
"Richa, she does it with so much poise and calmness. It's pretty awesome to watch. You just feel like every time the ball is on her side, she puts it over the rope and does that more often than not. That was an amazing way from her to finish the game," said Ellyse in a video posted on the tournament's X account on Saturday.
Left-handed batting all-rounder Kanika Ahuja also shined by hitting an unbeaten 13-ball 30, as she and Richa shared a fifth-wicket stand of 93 off just 37 balls. "It was so great for Kanika as well. She missed last year due to injury, so for her to come back and make an immediate impact for the group was superb," added Ellyse.
Ellyse also made 57 with the bat to set the early foundation for RCB's chase, but what left people surprised was her dropping Deandra Dottin's catch. "Sometimes these things happen. No one means to drop a catch, but there's always a next opportunity to make a difference for the team," she said.
Ellyse signed off by saying upcoming matches of WPL 2025 will see lots of tall chases being aced by teams batting second. "It's only going to be the first of quite a few chases that is going to be big this year. This had a feeling to it, and I do think we got the best of the conditions batting second."
"We had to make the most of that and we did it really well. There will be entertaining cricket from every team in this competition and I am just pleased to be a part of it," she concluded.
RCB will next face the Delhi Capitals in their second league match in Vadodara on February 17.
