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Grace Harris' 85* Blitz Powers RCB to Top in WPL; Mithali Raj in Awe

Former India captain Mithali Raj heaped praise on Grace Harris for her match-winning, unbeaten 85 off just 40 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Harris' explosive knock, featuring five sixes, powered RCB to a dominant nine-wicket victory over UP Warriorz with 7.5 overs to spare. Mithali highlighted Harris' fearless approach from the first over and her "impeccable" timing that left commentators wondering how to bowl to her. The win, built on a disciplined bowling performance and a blistering 137-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, propelled RCB to the top of the WPL table.

Key Points: Grace Harris 85* Storms RCB to WPL Top, Mithali Raj Impressed

  • Harris' 85* off 40 balls decimates UPW
  • 137-run opening stand with Mandhana
  • RCB wins with 7.5 overs to spare
  • Mithali lauds fearless power-hitting
  • Bowlers set up win by restricting UPW to 143
2 min read

Harris' timing was impeccable; I wondered what line or length could stop her: Mithali

Mithali Raj praises Grace Harris' "impeccable" 85* off 40 balls as RCB crush UP Warriorz by 9 wickets to claim top spot in WPL 2024.

"Her timing was impeccable... we wondered what line or length could stop her. - Mithali Raj"

New Delhi, Jan 13

Former India captain Mithali Raj reserved praise for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Grace Harris after the Australian's whirlwind knock helped her side claim a top-of-the-table victory in the Women's Premier League.

Harris launched an impressive attack on her previous franchise, the UP Warriorz, hitting the ball all over the DY Patil Stadium. By the time she was dismissed, scoring 85 off 40 balls, RCB needed only seven more runs to win with 50 balls left.

Mithali applauded Harris' match-winning blitz and lauded her shot execution. "Grace Harris set the tone right from Deepti Sharma's first over, playing through the line and taking on the quicks fearlessly. Her timing was impeccable, and the power behind every executed shot was unreal. At one point, even we commentators wondered what line or length could stop her. Set and in full flow, she went berserk, finding gaps, boundaries and sixes with complete ease wherever the ball was bowled," she said on JioStar.

Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris's opening partnership propelled RCB to a top-of-the-table finish. Speaking of their partnership, she added, "Grace Harris played her natural game aggressively, keeping fans on their toes with five maximums, while Smriti Mandhana played the perfect supportive role, scoring fluently through her chosen shots.

"As captain, Smriti will be delighted with this performance: the opening partnership, putting UPW in to bat, dismissing their top order early, and the bowlers delivering. She'd be thrilled both as a batter and leader with this complete team effort."

Harris' explosive knock powered RCB to a dominant nine-wicket win over UP Warriorz. After UPW slumped to 50/5 following a terrible top-order collapse, a fighting 93-run unbeaten stand between Deandra Dottin and Deepti Sharma helped them reach 143, still well below a competitive total. RCB's bowlers bowled disciplined spells and kept the pressure throughout.

The chase was one-sided. Harris and Mandhana stitched a blistering 137-run opening stand, racing to 78 in the powerplay alone. Harris decimated the UPW attack, including a 32-run over off Dottin, while Mandhana played the perfect foil. As a result, the 2024 champions cruised home with 7.5 overs to spare, underlining their batting firepower and overall dominance.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
High praise coming from Mithali Raj herself! Harris was in a different zone. But let's not forget the bowlers who set it up by reducing UPW to 50/5. That's where the match was won.
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Aditya G
Winning with 7.5 overs to spare is a statement. RCB's batting firepower is scary for the other teams. Hope they can maintain this momentum for the playoffs.
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Sarah B
As a neutral fan, it's brilliant to watch. The WPL is producing such high-quality cricket. Harris was brutal, but Mandhana's calm innings shouldn't be overlooked. A perfect partnership.
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Nikhil C
Respectfully, while Harris was fantastic, the article focuses a lot on one innings. The real test for RCB will be consistency and handling pressure in close games. The bowling, apart from the powerplay, looked a bit leaky during the Dottin-Deepti partnership.
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Kavya N
"What line or length could stop her?" – Mithali summed it up perfectly! When a batter of her caliber says that, you know the bowler had no answers. UPW's team selection and strategy seemed off today. Bazball style batting from RCB! 🔥

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