The RCB star joins the elite list, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat in WPL. Look cricket news

Official half-centuries from Richa Ghosh and S Meghna were ably supported by crafty leg-spinner Shobhana Asha as Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrated their first home WPL match with a hard-fought two-run win over UP Warriors in Bengaluru on Saturday. Richa (62, 37b, 12×4) and Meghna (53, 44b, 7×4, 1×6) pushed Royal Challengers to 157 for six on a slightly difficult pitch as they added 71 runs in 50 balls for the fourth wicket.

Grace Harris (38, 23b, 4×4, 2×6) and Shweta Sehrawat (31, 25b, 2×4, 1×6) put on 77 runs in 44 balls for the fourth wicket, but UP could not survive leg spinner Shobhana Asha’s five-wicket haul. 5/22), ending at 155 for seven.

The Warriors were heading towards victory by scoring 116 runs for three wickets in the 15th over, but Shobhana’s three wickets in the 17th over changed the course of the game.

He dashed UP’s hopes by a narrow margin by dismissing Harris, Sehrawat and Kiran Navgire in that over.

The Warriors had a slow start after losing the wicket of captain Alyssa Healy in the second over itself.

Left-arm spinner Sophie Molyneux used a ripper to dismiss Healy. The ball pitched around middle and off line, before it straightened past the UP opener’s floating ball and hit the bails.

Vrinda Dinesh and Tahlia McGrath added 38 runs for the second wicket, but they also cost 7.4 overs and struggled to hit big shots on a slow deck.

But Shobhana struck hard in the 9th over and dismissed both Vrinda and McGrath.

Vrinda, who scored 18 runs in 28 balls, came down and tried to bowl to Shobhana but missed the ball as stumper Richa did the rest.

Shobhana dismissed McGrath two balls later when the Australian batsman’s attempt at a slog sweep saw the ball reset off his stumps.

For the record, Sobhana is the first Indian to take a five-wicket haul in the WPL.

The historic moment when Shobhana Asha became the first Indian to win a Pfeiffer in the WPL. pic.twitter.com/YxQznDAdEo

– Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 24 February 2024

List of players who took five wickets in WPL

Marizanne Kapp takes 5 for 15 for DC vs Gujarat Giants in 2023

Tara Norris – 5 for 29 for DC vs RCB in 2023

Kim Garth – 5 for 36 for Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriors in 2023

Shobhana Asha – 5 for 22 for RCB vs UP Warriors in 2024

Earlier, RCB batsmen faltered to post a total that proved too much on the night.

When invited to bat first, RCB was struggling at 54 runs for three wickets in 7.5 overs.

Sensing the situation, Meghna and Richa took time in finalizing their partnership, but once they set their sights on it, there was no looking back for the RCB duo.

Meghna, who was removed on 20 and 22, made full use of those let-offs to play some brilliant shots around the ground.

Her powerful strike to hit a six over extra cover off left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gaikwad in the loop was a sight to behold.

She completed her half-century in 40 balls and Richa, who gave 16 runs to fast bowler Saima Thakor in the 14th over, soon reached her half-century in 31 balls by hitting a four off Tahlia McGrath.

The partnership broke when Gaikwad got Meghna stumped by Alyssa Healy.

But before that steady stand, RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry struggled to deal with the slowness of the track, derailing their efforts to build momentum.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)