WPL 2025: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are back at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, but things aren’t great. Two back-to-back losses have put Smriti Mandhana and her team in a tricky spot. They started strong in Vadodara, but now? They’re stuck in the middle of the points table, desperate for a turnaround.
RCB’s Last Match
RCB had victory in their grasp. And then they let it slip. A game they should have won ended in heartbreak. Smriti Mandhana’s decisions raised eyebrows, and her batting—both in the main game and the Super Over—was far from her best. But there’s still hope.
Here’s the deal:
- RCB have four points.
- Their net run rate is solid.
- A win could push them as high as first place.
Their next challenge? The Gujarat Giants (GG)—a team they already outplayed on the opening day of WPL 2025.
GG Desperate for a Win
If RCB is struggling, GG is in full-blown crisis mode. Two straight losses have sunk them to the bottom of the standings, with just two points. They have the weakest net run rate in the league.
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Time’s running out for Ashleigh Gardner and her squad. If they don’t start winning soon, their playoff hopes will vanish into thin air.
Squads for the Match
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Sabbhineni Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur Singh, Ekta Bisht, Heather Graham, Charlie Dean, Sneh Rana, Jagravi Pawar, Nuzhat Parween, Joshitha VJ.
Gujarat Giants:
Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (wk), Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Simran Shaikh, Meghna Singh, Sayali Satghare, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Md Shakil, Prakashika Naik, Bharti Fulmali, Phoebe Litchfield, Danielle Gibson.
Match Analysis: Who Has the Edge?
The M Chinnaswamy pitch has been a friend to swing bowlers early on. That’s great news for RCB. Renuka Thakur Singh and Kim Garth make a deadly new-ball duo. Sure, Garth was expensive last game, but she and Renuka have the firepower to rattle any batting lineup.
The best part? Ellyse Perry is back in bowling form. That gives RCB an extra edge.
Batting-wise, Mandhana is struggling, but Perry is carrying the load. If Kanika Ahuja and Georgia Wareham can step up, RCB’s batting will look far more solid.
As for GG? Beth Mooney started strong but has lost her spark. Their gamble to bench Laura Wolvaardt for Phoebe Litchfield backfired big time against Delhi Capitals. They have power hitters like Ashleigh Gardner and Deandra Dottin, but here’s the issue—they rely too much on just a couple of players. That’s a risky game in T20 cricket.
Prediction: RCB to Bounce Back
RCB have the better squad. They’re more balanced. Gujarat? Too inconsistent.
T20 cricket can be unpredictable. But unless GG pulls off something magical, expect RCB to walk away with the win in Match 12 of WPL 2025.
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Also Read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli Set to Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Century Record
