Vibrant RCB Thwart MI from Securing Direct Finals Spot | Cricbuzz.com

**WPL 2025: Determined RCB Denies MI Direct Final Berth**

**By Cricbuzz Staff**

In a captivating conclusion to their season, the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), exited WPL 2025 with a flourish by thwarting the Mumbai Indians’ (MI) ambitions of securing a direct spot in the final. Through a cohesive team effort, both in batting and bowling, RCB triumphed over MI by 11 runs in the season’s final league match, facilitating Delhi Capitals’ entry into their third consecutive final. Consequently, MI will now face Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator.

Tasked with chasing down a formidable target of 200 for a place in the final, MI’s innings commenced inadequately during the PowerPlay. Despite a promising start by Hayley Matthews, who unleashed a series of boundaries, the team remained at a suboptimal score of 45 for 2 after the first six overs, as Sneh Rana’s incisive bowling claimed both MI openers. This setback placed the responsibility on seasoned campaigners Nat Sciver-Brunt and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to reinvigorate the chase.

MI’s hopes were further dashed when Kim Garth enticed an edge from Harmanpreet, who departed after a brief 18-ball 20-run effort. Nat Sciver-Brunt stood as MI’s lone resilient force, persisting with her boundary-strewn resistance to sustain MI’s waning prospects. Her aggressive knocks off Rana and Perry propelled her to another milestone, surpassing the 400-run mark — a first in WPL history. However, an aggressive top-edge sealed her departure, leaving MI to chase an imposing 71 runs from 31 balls.

Rana compounded MI’s woes by dismissing Yastika Bhatia, while RCB’s bowlers continually made inroads during the closing stages. Although MI’s tailend managed a brief assault, with Sajeevan Sajana injecting brief tension in the final over, Ellyse Perry tightened the screws. Despite her earlier challenges, Perry steered through with a composed finish, leaving MI no room to add to their score from the last three balls.

Earlier in the evening, RCB showcased an outstanding batting exhibition, amassing 199 runs. After a series of modest performances, Smriti Mandhana ignited RCB’s innings, ably supported by Sabbhineni Meghana’s explosive spree. Though Meghana fell after a brisk 26 off 12 balls, Mandhana persevered, pummeling Kerr for consecutive sixes and a four to regain momentum. While Perry initially struggled to find fluency, Mandhana continued to build, notching up her half-century with aplomb.

Richa Ghosh contributed a crucial cameo, boosting RCB’s innings significantly. In a show-stopping finale, Georgia Wareham unleashed a fiery assault, accumulating 39 runs in the last two overs, including five fours and a six, capturing the match’s pivotal distinction.

**Scores in Brief:**
RCB: 199/3 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 53, Ellyse Perry 49*; Hayley Matthews 2/37)
MI: 188/9 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 69; Sneh Rana 3/26, Kim Garth 2/33)

**Victory Margin: RCB won by 11 runs**

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(TAGS: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, Mumbai Indians Women, Sneh Rana, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Ellyse Perry, Women’s Premier League 2025, 20th Match)