RCB eye quick recovery after MI blip

RCB and UP Warriorz have made contrasting starts this season. While the defending champions kickstarted their title defence with two wins, UP Warriorz found themselves on the losing end in their first two games. RCB would have been highly hopeful of making it three in three halfway through the second innings against Mumbai Indians before the inaugural champions came out on top.

UP Warriorz on the other hand managed to break the trend this season of chasing teams prevailing every time. The opening seven matches of the season saw teams batting second emerge victorious before UPW managed to defend their total quite comfortably in the end last night against Delhi Capitals. But there is no time to rest on the laurels with the games coming thick and fast as it does in this tournament. Despite the win, UPW know that there are areas to work on.

There will be focus on their batting department, especially with the top four not firing consistently. Tahlia McGrath in particular will be looking to make a mark having not done so until now. Chinelle Henry has been terrific in both the games she has played so far. While a batting promotion cannot be ruled out, she would ideally like a helping hand from the other end.

As far as RCB are concerned, they would hope that the loss against MI was just a blip. Staring down a defeat in the first game, they came out on top in quite thrilling fashion before dismantling Capitals. They are also the only team having the luxury of playing four games at home this season. Now that they have lost the first of those four games, they would ideally want to put up a show in front of their home crowd and make this run of games count if they are to go far in the tournament once again.

When: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women vs UP Warriorz, February 24, 2025, 7:30 PM

Where: M Chinnaswamy stadium, Bengaluru

What to expect: Clear skies are expected for the game. Scores of around 170 have been scored three out of four times so far, with spinners being amongst the wickets.

Team news

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Despite the loss against MI, RCB would want to stick with the same side that helped them win their first two games.

Probable XI:Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Ekta Bisht, Joshitha VJ, Renuka Thakur

UP Warriorz

It's unlikely they would want to break the combination that has helped them get off the mark but a promotion up the order for Henry could be on the cards given her strike rate in the tournament. She has smashed 11 out of the 38 balls she has faced, over the fence.

Probable XI: Kiran Navgire, Vrinda Dinesh, Deepti Sharma (c), Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Chinelle Henry, Grace Harris, Sophie Ecclestone, Uma Chetry (wk), Kranti Goud, Saima Thakor