Sophie Devine Addresses Media After RCB Loses Their Third Consecutive Game

The RCB franchise is the only team in WPL that is yet to win a game. They’ve played 3 games and have lost all 3 of them out of which the team conceded 200+ runs in 2 games. The match versus Gujarat Giants had RCB losing the game by 11 runs. Apart from Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, and Heather Knight no other batter in the playing XI looked in great touch.

Bowling first, RCB once again failed to pick up wickets and field well. Sophia Dunkley and Harleen Deol made half-centuries each. RCB used 6 bowling options and none of them had an economy below 8. Preeti Bose was the most expensive bowler conceding 47 runs in merely 3 overs. Coming out to chase a target of 202 runs, the batting line-up was messed up as well. Sophie Devine opened alongside Smriti Mandhana.

RCB opener Sophie Devine says too many dot balls were the reason for loss 

Addressing the media after the loss, Sophie Devine said, “I think to pinpoint (a reason for loss) is pretty tough, to nail it down to one thing, but I think probably our dot balls (were too many). And it is going to happen sometimes you have to give the credit to the bowlers who bowled some great deliveries. But still, we have shown how can you get those dot balls to be even those singles. In games like this you get back and look at every single ball you think could I have got a run there or could we have pushed for two. It is really disappointing.”

Speaking of the game the duo had 54 runs opening partnership in 5.1 overs. RCB looked in a good position until the 12th over but runs began to dry up soon. Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh were dismissed in quick succession. The real trouble for RCB began when the set batter Sophie Devine was out in the 17th over. Devine scored crucial 66 runs before Annabel Sutherland sent her back to the pavilion. With Heather Knight on the other end, Shreyanka Patil should have ideally been sent to score quick runs.

The team, nonetheless, decided to go with Kanika Ahuja and Poonam Khemnar ahead of in-form Patil. The RCB franchise needed 24 to win in the last over. Shreyanka Patil came in to bat with 24 runs needed in 5 balls, the next couple of balls ended in singles before Patil smashed a four and a six to bring her team close to the target. Heather Knight and Shreyanka Patil stayed not out at 30 runs from 11 balls and 11 runs from 4 balls, respectively.