WPL 2024 Playoff, MI vs RCB highlights: Bangalore beat Mumbai by 5 runs, reach maiden final

Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana (Pic: AFP)

Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will lock horns against Harmanpreet Kaur's Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator match of the WPL 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday.

The Bengaluru-based franchise won just two matches in their previous five games and ended the league in third place on the WPL 2024 standings with 8 points. Mandhana's side played eight league games and won four matches in the second season of the tournament.

On the other hand, Mumbai ended the league in second place with 10 points after winning 5 of 8 matches. In their previous five matches, Harmanpreet's side won three games.

RCB are coming into this game after sealing a seven-wicket win over Mumbai on March 12. The previous win will surely boost the RCB's confidence before they face off again in the eliminator.

RCB started the tournament with good form and won two consecutive matches. However, they lost a moment from the third game and lost to Delhi Capitals and MI in their third and fourth match of the WPL 2024. Throughout the ongoing season, Mandhana's side failed to maintain momentum.

Also Read: Mumbai's might against Bangalore's brilliance

At the same time, the Mumbai-based franchise also failed to keep momentum in the WPL 2024. They kicked off the second season of WPL with a win against Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants in the opening two matches of the tournament. But later, conceded defeat against UP Warriorz, DC and RCB.

In WPL 2024, the two sides faced each other two times. In the first encounter, MI won by 7 wickets on March 02. Meanwhile, in the second game, RCB took their revenge and sealed a victory by 7 wickets.

Recapping the previous RCB vs MI match, Ellyse Perry's historic first-ever six-wicket haul in the WPL helped RCB qualify for playoffs after beating defending champions MI by seven wickets at Delhi.

The winner of the upcoming eliminator match of WPL 2024 will play against Delhi Capitals (DC) in the finals on Sunday.

WPL 2024 Playoff, MI vs RCB live updates: Predicted squads

Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, S Sajana, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala (Wk), Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque, Chloe Tryon, Fatima Jaffer, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Issy Wong, Yastika Bhatia, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Molineux, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Richa Ghosh (Wk), Georgia Wareham, Disha Kasat, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Shraddha Pokharkar, Renuka Thakur Singh, Simran Bahadur, Indrani Roy, Shubha Satheesh, Nadine de Klerk, Sabbhineni Meghana, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht.

WPL 2024 Playoff, MI vs RCB live updates: Dream11 prediction

Captain: Ellyse Perry

Vice-captain: Nat Sciver-Brunt

Wicketkeeper: Richa Ghosh

Batters: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana

All-rounders: Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr

Bowlers: Shreyanka Patil, Asha Shobana, Shabnim Ismail

WPL 2024 Playoff, MI vs RCB live updates: Toss update

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat first against Mumbai.

10:10 PM: 119/5 (16)

Molineux is in for the penultimate over of the innings, and slows down the pace and Sajana seems to be out. Goes upstairs and she is given out.

10:00 PM: 69/3 (11)

Wareham continues for her second over and traps and cleans up Nat Sciver-Brunt to get RCB back in the contest.

9:50 PM: 50/2 (8)

Wareham is into the attack in the first over after the powerplay. Sciver-Brunt looks to go for a quick paddle sweep but settles for an edge past the keeper for a boundary.

9:40 PM: 31/1 (5)

Dangerous Matthews goes on the back foot and manages a boundary towards the point region. Patil gets Matthews who wanted to hit over the mid-wicket ropes but in vain.

9:25 PM: 9/0 (2)

Patil comes into the attack for RCB. Just three runs come off this over and RCB will need more of these if they are to take the game deep.

9:10 PM: 135/6 (20)

Shreyanka Patil launched a straight shot to Sajeevan Sajana but dropped in the end. Ishaque is hit for a maximum on the last ball of the innings.

8:49 PM: 135/6 (19)

Saika Ishaque returns for the last over. Dangerous Perry attempts to hit a boundary but gets caught by Sciver-Brunt on the very next ball. A brilliant innings comes to an end.

8:33 PM: 102/5 (17)

Sophie Molineux joins forces with Perry. Natalie Sciver-Brunt hits back with the perfect reply. Perry launches boundary attacks and the hits Shabnim down the dround for a giant four. She reaches her second fifty this season.

8:21 PM: 49/4 (12)

Another bites the dust! Richa Ghosh finds Natalie Sciver-Brunt in the deep. Hayley Matthews with a second wicket.

8:10 PM: 47/3 (9)

Perry steps out and drives Ishaque back past the bowler for an excellent boundary. New batter Richa Ghosh doesn't hold herself back for hitting a maximum.

8:02 PM: 23/3 (5)

Saika Ishaque is handed the ball. Disha Kasat doesnot look comfortable with the bat out in the middle and falls to the pressure as Pooja Vastrakar takes the catch.

7:56 PM: 20/2 (2.3)

Ellyse Perry in the middle and Nat Sciver-Brunt is the new bowler for MI. Mandhana tries to take it high up in the air but finds Ismail in the deep.

7:50 PM: 20/1 (2)

Hayley Matthews gives the first breakthrough. Devine walks back to a delivery from Matthews on the last ball of the over.

7:37 PM: 14/0 (1)

Mandhana pulls MI's Shabnim Ismail for a boundary. Sophie Devine glances a full ball off her pads for another boundary in the same over.