AN INCREDIBLE unbeaten half century from wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh following on from Australian Ellyse Perry‘s 57 off 34 helped steer Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over the Gujarat Giants in the opening match of the 2025 Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) overnight.

Ghosh smacked an incredible 64 off 27 balls – at a run rate of 237.03 – which included seven boundaries and a massive four sixes. She surprised Perry’s total in less time, and pair up well with the equally offensively minded Kanika Ahuja who smacked an unbeaten 30 off 13 to support Ghosh in reaching the 202 score required with nine balls remaining.

After being sent in by Challengers skipper Smriti Mandhana who opted to bowl, Giants opener and wicketkeeper Beth Mooney and fellow Aussie Ash Gardner essentially carried the the home side. Aside from the cheap losses of Laura Wolvaardt (six off 10) and Dayalan Hemalatha (four off nine), it was the pair from Down Under who combined for a run rate of 44.

Mooney smashed a half century of 56 runs off 42 balls including eight boundaries, and when she fell in the 12th over, the side was 3-85. However Gardner dug deep with new partner Deandra Dottin and produced a fourth wicket partnership of 67 runs. Dottin fell in the ball of 17th over for 25, but Gardner continued to defy the odds and would survive the innings with a match-high 79 off 37 including a ridiculous eight sixes.

However despite the knock, it would prove futile in the end, with the Challengers able to reach the scoreline with six wickets in hand despite Gardner’s continued dominance over the opposition. The Aussie dismissed both of the Challengers openers and by the end of over two, the visitors sat at 2-14 and looked in trouble.

Fortunately for them, Perry and Ghosh’s knocks with the support of Ahuja and Raghvi Bist (25 off 27) were enough to get to the tally. Perry and Bist combined for an 86-run third wicket partnership which got them back on track, and though the duo fell within two overs of each other, Ghosh and Ahuja steered the side to victory with an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 93.

It was not a day for bowlers, with Challengers’ Renuka Singh the pick of the match with 2-25 off four and an economy rate of 6.25. She was one of the few to finish in single digits from that statistical measure, with Ahuja (1-19 off three) and Kim Garth (0-34 off four) also keeping the run rate under 10 for their overs.

Gardner picked up 2-33 off three overs with the dismissal of the Challengers openers, but there was not much else to write home about from the Giants’ strikeforce. The Giants will look to return back on Monday when they take on the UP Warriorz in Match 3, while the Challengers will look to secure back-to-back wins when taking on Delhi Capitals in Match 4. The Capitals face Mumbai Indians in Match 2 tonight.

SCORECARD

GUJARAT GIANTS vs ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU

RESULT: Royal Challengers Bengaluru def. Gujarat Giants by 6 wickets with 9 balls remaining
POTM: Richa Ghosh (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
TOSS: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won & elected to bowl

Gujarat Giants 5-201 (20.0)
Ash Gardner 79* (37), Beth Mooney 56 (42), Deandra Dottin 25 (13)
Renuka Singh Thakur 2-25 (4.0), Kanika Ahuja 1-19 (3.0)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 4-202 (18.3)
Richa Ghosh 64* (27), Ellyse Perry 57 (34), Kanika Ahuja 30* (13)
Ash Gardner 2-33 (3.0), Deandra Dotting 1-41 (3.3)