WPL 2025: Sophie Ecclestone helps UP Warriorz past RCB in super over – Talking Points

Sophie Ecclestone starred with both bat and the ball as UP Warriorz beat the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a super over at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday.

Both the teams scored an identical 180 in their quota of 20 overs to force a super over.

While the Warriorz scored 8/1 in the super over bowled by Kim Garth, the RCB duo of Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh could muster only 4/0 as Ecclestone bowled a tight over to hand them their second consecutive loss.

Here are the talking points from the match:

First-ever super over

Kranti Goud swinged and missed a ball outside off stump and set off for a non-existent single. Wicketkeeper Ghosh collected the ball, ran to the stumps and clipped the bails off to catch Ecclestone, who was rushing in from the non-strikers end well short of the crease.

The UP Warriorz were bowled out for 180 in 20 overs with just one run needed to win off the final delivery.

Ghosh's presence of mind to run to the stumps forced the first-ever super over in Women's Premier League history.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru had come close to a super over in their last match against Mumbai Indians but the latter had then sniffed out a win.

Ecclestone, the match winner

Ecclestone had an ordinary day for most part of the evening. With the Warriorz having opted to bowl first, she finished with figures of 0/29 in her four overs.

There were no special efforts in the field either from the Englishwoman.

However, things changed when she was called upon to bat. She reached the crease as the Warriorz struggled at 123/6 in the 15th over of the chase and turned the match on its head.

Ecclestone took a while to get going. In fact, she was batting at three off eight deliveries even as the required run rate kept creeping up for the Warriorz.

She soon switched gears, hitting Georgia Wareham for consecutive sixes in the 18th over. Suddenly, the momentum shifted.

Saima Thakor also cleared the ropes in the penultimate off Ekta Bist, leaving the Warriorz to get a daunting 18 runs off the final over.

Despite Renuka Singh Thakur starting the final over with a dot ball, Ecclestone managed to drag the match into a super over.

She put a full toss over the deep backward square leg boundary before pulling the next over deep midwicket. The next ball, short and wide, was cut over the short third man fielder for a boundary.

All of a sudden Warriorz required just two in two balls. The world No 1 bowler had just turned the tide with bat in hand.

The left-arm-spinner then bowled a brilliant super over, not allowing Ghosh and Mandhana to any width or room. She darted in ball after ball precisely six times to choke the Royal Challengers batters and their vocal home crowd.

Perry continues her hot form

Ellyse Perry continued her red hot form with the bat, registering the highest individual score of the season. The Australian finished unbeaten on 90 off 56 deliveries.

Having entered the crease in the fourth over, Perry carried her bat through and hit nine boundaries and three sixes. She also stitched a 94-run stand with opener Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (57) for the second wicket.

Perry currently holds the orange cap with 235 runs in just four innings.