Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women vs Gujarat Giants Women, 12th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Today’s victory will taste sweet for the Gujarat Giants after a couple of losses. Today’s result means that the three bottom-placed teams are locked in at four points. That makes things more enticing from the point of view of the tournament. It hasn’t been a pleasant homecoming for RCB. They have lost three games in a row at the Chinnaswamy. They will be eager to bounce back in their final league game at home. The action continues as Delhi Capitals gear up to face Mumbai Indians tomorrow. Do join us for that game. Until next time, goodbye and cheers!

Ashleigh Gardner | Player of the Match: Definitely, in the last couple of game we haven't batted the way we wanted to but credit goes to the bowlers today. Our bowlers stepped up, chasing a low total gave us the freedom. The first game probably we should have won, we couldn't defend 200 but today's win was pleasing. It was nice to win the game and take the positivity forward. It's a trend of the WPL (on chasing) at the moment, it's nice to not have much dew here. (On the pitch here in the game against Delhi Capitals) That wicket was quite green, quite a challenging wicket to bat on but tonight's pitch was good and flat. We have faced different conditions and now we move on to Lucknow. I guess we have to get better at the powerplay, tonight we lost only one wicket. When we have wickets in hand, it can prove to be pivotal. In the last two games, we lost four wickets in the powerplay and that pushed us on the back foot. We will try being consistent and put more points on the board.

Phoebe Litchfield: We came in today with positivity after having two pretty average performances in the past two games. We wanted to come out with a bang. The way our bowlers bowled was amazing and to finish off clinically, happy camp. It's kind of what's happened to us in the past two games (losing wickets in the powerplay), It's nice not being on the receiving end of it. We applied the pressure early on. Ash did an amazing job to get the run-rate down to six with that big over. It allowed me to come in and play freely and risk-free. We knew one partnership would win us the game. (On Gardner's drop which later resulted in a run-out) To be fair, it went into that massive light up there and thank God, Bharti threw the stumps down. We needed a win. When you look back to that first game against RCB, we were one or two catches short of beating them. Hopefully we'll grab some momentum from today and take it forward.

Smriti Mandhana: I don't think we batted really well in the powerplay, including myself. We tried too hard and didn't read the conditions quickly. We came in thinking about the last two matches, trying to get 170-180. The wicket was a lot different than the other games. From the time we've come to Bangalore, the first matches I felt like we played really good cricket but ended up losing the matches. Today, this is going to really hurt us. In all the three departments, we weren't able to do a lot. But, cricket is such and you have to take it. We'll have to lift ourselves and come back stronger. We'll be looking into all three departments. I wouldn't want to put one department under the bus. As a team, we all have to step up. Last three matches, we haven't played our best cricket. (On Raghvi Bist and Kanika Ahuja) They've done extremely well in domestic cricket, both have made their India debuts as well. Kanika unfortunately missed out last season. Raghvi, I feel, has a very mature head on her shoulders. Really happy that they got that partnership going and at least got us to 120. Happy for them. Hopefully we all start contributing and try and put up a better score.

Gujarat Giants have won just six matches in the WPL history and three of those wins (in 6 games) have come against RCB.

22:37 Local Time, 17:07 GMT, 22:37 IST: A clinical performance from the Gujarat Giants to get their campaign back on track. The visitors won an important toss and inserted RCB into bat. They bowled well throughout the innings and kept a lid on the scoring rate and chipped away at the wickets as well. 125 was a below-par score on a good batting surface. In response, GG wobbled a bit as Renuka Thakur bowled with precision and nipped out both their openers early. Runs were also difficult to come by. But, Gardner took the attack to Prema Rawat in the ninth over which yielded 19 runs. That changed the flow of the game. Deol did gift her wicket away soon after but Gardner continued her impressive run with the bat. She found an able ally in Phoebe Litchfield and the 51-run stand between the duo killed the game. Gardner struck her third fifty of this season. She got dismissed in a bid to end the game in a canter but by then, it all came down to a mere formality. GG coasted to victory with 21 balls to spare.

Kim Garth to Dottin, wide, that's the game! A bouncer angling down leg, Dottin ducks under it. Wided for height. The Giants cruise to victory with ease. Customary handshakes all around

Kim Garth to Phoebe Litchfield, 1 run, back of a length ball on off, Phoebe Litchfield plays it with soft hands to mid-wicket to cross over. The scores are level now

Kim Garth to Phoebe Litchfield, SIX, crunched! A short ball angling in from outside off, sits up nicely for Phoebe Litchfield. She swivels across and pulls it with authority over deep backward square leg for a maximum

Kim Garth to Phoebe Litchfield, no run, Phoebe Litchfield dances down the track and Kim Garth shortens her length and bowls it outside off. She swings and misses

Kim Garth [2.0-0-11-0] is back into the attack

Ash Gardner vs Georgia Wareham in T20s
Inns: 10
Runs: 83
Balls: 49
Dismissals: 7
Avg: 11.85
SR: 169.4

Wareham to Dottin, no run, a full floated delivery outside off, Dottin tries to hit it through covers but misses. Richa Ghosh collects it and takes the bails off in a flash. It's taken upstairs to check for the stumping. Dottin had dragged her back foot out of the crease momentarily but got it back in when the bails came off

Sharp work behind the stumps from Richa Ghosh once again. Not Out!

Wareham to Dottin, wide, short delivery well outside off, turns further away and cuts the tramline. Wided

Wareham to Dottin, no run, Dottin uses her feet and moves leg-side in the process. Hits the tossed up ball well but straight to extra cover

Deandra Dottin, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Most 50+ scores for GG in WPL
5 - Ash Gardner*
4 - Beth Mooney
3 - L Wolvaardt
2 - D Hemalatha
This is Gardner's 3rd fifty this season.

Timeout!

Wareham to Gardner, out Caught&Bowled!! Gardner departs but she has done her job! It's perhaps too late for RCB. A tossed up ball on middle and leg, Gardner comes down the track but is not quite to the pitch of it. Ends up chipping it straight back to Wareham. She gets low in her followthrough and takes it with both her hands somehow. Made use of her lap for support and held on. Gardner c and b Wareham 58(31) [4s-6 6s-3]