WPL 3: Harmanpreet Kaur guides Mumbai Indians to thrilling win against RCB

BENGALURU: The Friday blockbuster between two of the most high-profile teams in the Women's Premier League - Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians - lived up to the hype at a packed M Chinnaswamy stadium here.
While batting fireworks from both sides was the highlight of the contest, defending champions RCB began their home leg of the WPL with their first loss of the season.
While RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana (26; 13b) set the tone for the contest with a flurry of boundaries, the visiting skipper Harmanpreet Kaur laid the foundation for her team's four-wicket win with a 38-ball 50. For RCB, in a fine display of composure and ferocity, Australian superstar Ellyse Perry struck a blistering 43-ball 81 (11x2; 2x6).
As wickets tumbled at the other end, Perry remained focused with controlled restraint and calculated aggression, which saw the home team put up 167/7. But the slump in the run rate in the middle overs cost RCB.
Perry's smashing performance was overshadowed by the allround heroics of Amanjot Kaur. The 24-year-old, who was the pick among Mumbai bowlers with returns of 3 for 22, then withstood the sustained pressure from RCB. Her unbeaten 27-ball 34 and 26-run partnership with 16-year-old Kamilini ensured her team crossed the finish line with a ball to spare.
Brief Scores: RCB 167-7 (Ellyse Perry 81, Richa Ghosh 28; Amanjot Kaur 3-22) lost to Mumbai Indians 170-6 in 19.5 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 42, Harmanpreet Kaur 50, Amanjot Kaur 34*; Kim Garth 2-30, Georgia Wareham 3-21)