Watch: Captain Smriti Mandhana could not control her happiness as overwhelming crowd support welcomed the Royal Challengers Bangalore team in their first-ever home match of WPL.
Bengaluru, the home of the men’s team, will host the first leg of the second edition of the Women’s Premier League. The team played its first game against the UP Warriors on Saturday to a nearly full stadium.
During the toss, Mandhana was greeted with loud cheers and could barely get a word out before the Bengaluru crowd drowned out her voice. She stood stunned, perhaps a little emotional, and motioned for the crowd to lower their voices so she could continue.
“I think we knew as a team that RCB, with their fan base, was going to win this. That’s what our conversations were about and that there was going to be a lot of noise. ” said Mandana. “We’ll have a lot of support.”
Wow, never heard a cheer as loud in women’s cricket as the one Smriti Mandhana received tonight from the Bengaluru crowd.👏
– Jeet Vachrajani (Frauen Cricket) (@Jeetv27WC) 24. February 2024
M Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its passionate fans and is packed to capacity for all IPL home games. The women’s team was announced last year ahead of the inaugural edition, which will be held entirely in Mumbai. The match against UP Warriors was the first home game for the RCB women’s team.
Mandana entertained the crowd with some boundaries but it didn’t last long and she was defeated by Talia McGrath in the 6th over. Opening partner Sophie Devine was dismissed by Grace Harris in the third round.
At the end of the 10 over mark, RCB women’s team was 64:3.
Watch Mandhana struggle to talk through the cheering
Smriti was amazed by the crowd..!😅 pic.twitter.com/cpF5o1rHU4
– Khushi (@khushich277) 24. February 2024
Smriti Mandhana smiling because crowds going mad and roaring so huge. pic.twitter.com/OGE6dXkdQt
– CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) 24. 2024 年 2 月
Listen to the crowd with Mandhana is on strike. Home and away WPL shouldn’t be very far.
– マーニャ (@CSKian716) 24. February 2024
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