Follow UsThe first Super Over of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) happened yesterday, February 25, as the game between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and UP Warriorz (UPW) ended in a tie.
However, going into the last over, RCB had the edge over the Warriors, as UPW needed 18 runs in the last over to win the game.
Renuka Singh Thakur was the bowler with Ecclestone on strike. Over the next four deliveries, the English all-rounder turned the tide around with some swashbuckling display, smashing six, six and four off 19.2, 19.3 and 19.4 to send the crowd into a frenzy and give the Warriorz a chance to send the game to super over.
As it turned out, with one needed off the last ball, Kranti Goud couldn’t get any connection as Richa Ghosh, in the most memorable fashions, ran out Ecclestone as the game ended on level. It was the first-ever super over in WPL history, as the two teams entered the record books.
Off-spinner Sneh Rana, playing her first game for RCB, defended Smriti Mandhana's decision to bowl Renuka in the last over.
“Renuka is known as one of the best bowlers for not only us [India], but the entire world. So our team’s decision was also that we’d get our best bowler to bowl the last over,” Rana said in the post-match press conference.
“Renuka has always delivered her best. I don’t really blame her. It’s T20 cricket. Ups and downs keep happening. She has also given her team five wickets in the past. So we can’t say that this person or that person didn’t get to bowl. She was the best bowler for that moment,t and that’s why that decision was taken [to make her bowl the last over].”
Rana also denied any assertions that Ellyse Perry is a better candidate to bat in the Super Over than Mandhana or Ghosh.
"I don’t think so [on whether Perry could have been better], because our top order has been consistently scoring runs,” Rana remarked.
“We’ve seen Smriti do that, and Richa is a special player who can bat at any position. After all, it’s the management’s call, and I can’t comment on that, but I think two fine openers had gone to bat.”