Bengaluru, Feb 24 (IANS) UP Warriorz held their nerve to script a dramatic four-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first-ever Super Over of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday. Sophie Ecclestone emerged as the undisputed star of the night, both with the bat and ball, playing a defining role in Warriorz’s extraordinary heist. Ecclestone produced a performance straight out of a fantasy script, first with the bat and then stepping up with the ball to seal an extraordinary game. The UP Warriorz, staring at defeat, staged a miraculous comeback to stun the defending champions in their own backyard. Chasing a formidable target of 181, the Warriorz found themselves in early trouble despite an explosive start from Kiran Navgire. The aggressive opener took the attack to Renuka Singh, smashing back-to-back boundaries in the first over. She continued her onslaught before Renuka struck back, dismantling Navgire’s stumps for a quickfire 24 off 12 deliveries. Dinesh Vrinda and captain Deepti Sharma attempted to steady the innings with crucial boundaries, but RCB’s disciplined bowling—led by Renuka and Sneh Rana—kept the pressure on. Rana made an immediate impact on her RCB debut, dismissing Tahlia McGrath for a four-ball duck, before removing the well-set Deepti for 25 (13). With Grace Harris also failing to make a mark, the Warriorz found themselves in deep waters at 125/7 after 15 overs. Shweta Sehrawat’s resilient 31 (25) and a brisk partnership with Uma Chetry offered hope, but wickets continued to tumble. Chinelle Henry struck a towering six before falling to Kim Garth, and Saima Thakor’s 14 (8) was cut short by a mix-up that resulted in her run-out. Sophie Ecclestone arrived at the crease with an uphill battle ahead. Despite being down to the final two batters, Ecclestone displayed nerves of steel. She launched Georgia Wareham for consecutive sixes before RCB tightened the screws with three dot balls. With 18 required in the final over, Renuka Singh was given the task of closing the game, but Ecclestone had other plans. She clobbered two sixes — one over deep square leg and another over long-on — to turn the game on its head. A crucial four between the backward point, short third, and a single on the next delivery reduced the equation to a single off the last ball. But in a final twist in the tale, Kranti Goud was deceived by a slower delivery outside off and Richa Ghosh produced a moment of brilliance behind the stumps a moment reminiscent of MS Dhoni’s iconic, effecting a direct hit running as Ecclestone fell short while scrambling for the winning run. The Chinnaswamy Stadium erupted in chaos as RCB celebrated what seemed like an improbable escape, while the Warriorz were left in disbelief. The match went into a historic Super Over — the first-ever one-over eliminator in WPL history. Kim Garth was handed the responsibility to bowl for RCB, while Chinelle Henry and Grace Harris took strike for UPW. The over started with tight lines, preventing the batters from scoring freely. Henry struggled to clear the ropes and, after mistiming a shot, was caught off Garth’s bowling. With just eight runs on the board, Warriorz knew they needed something special with the ball. Ecclestone, already a hero with the bat, was tasked with defending nine runs in RCB’s chase. Facing Richa Ghosh and Smriti Mandhana, she began with a dot, immediately building pressure. A single followed before Mandhana was given out LBW but successfully reviewed the decision. However, with six required off the final ball, Ecclestone maintained her composure, delivering a precise yorker that restricted RCB to just a single. Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 180/6 in 20 overs (Elyse Perry 90 not out, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 57; Chinelle Henry 1-34, Tahlia McGrath 1-30) tied UP Warriorz 180 all out in 20 overs (Sophie Ecclestone 33, Shweta Sehrawat 31; Sneh Rana 3-27, Renuka Singh 2-36). UPW won the one-over eliminator by four runs –IANS hs/bsk/
