UP Warriorz player Grace Harris plays a shot. (Photo | PTI)
CHENNAI: Sneh Rana has just pulled out of her bowling run-up at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. She turns to her right and has a wry laugh at Grace Harris who is well outside the crease at the non-striker’s end. At that point, UP Warriorz were 74/3 in 8.4 overs, needing 105 runs in 68 balls in a must-win encounter against Gujarat Giants. The former has to chase it down to qualify while Giants required a massive victory to even keep the mathematical chances alive.
The way their batters came out all guns blazing at the start sent a clear message. Sophia Dunkley and Laura Wolvaardt started well before the stumble, but D Hemalatha (33-ball 57) and Ashleigh Gardner (39-ball 60) launched a counterattack that took them to 178/6. With the ball too, Giants had made an impact, setting up the chase for an interesting contest. And then, Rana’s candid moment happened.
The Giants skipper gave a warning to Harris, both had a laugh, and returned to the starting point of her run-up. In the context of the game, not just for the two teams but also for Royal Challengers Bangalore, it was a significant moment in the tournament. Had Rana taken off the bails, Harris would have been back in the pavilion. Instead, the Australian would go on to smash 72 runs from 41 balls, taking Warriorz home with some help from Sophie Ecclestone at the other end.
UP chased down 179 with three wickets to spare, ensuring their qualification for the playoffs. The top three teams were locked, ending the hopes of RCB and making their final match inconsequential.
Brief scores: GG 178/6 in 20 ovs (Gardner 60, Hemalatha 57; Gayakwad 2/39, Chopra 2/29) lost to UPW 181/7 in 19.5 ovs (McGrath 57, Harris 72; Garth 2/29); MI 109/8 in 20 ovs (Kapp 2/13, Shikha 2/21) lost to DC 110/1 in 9 ovs (Capsey 38 n.o, Lanning 32 n.o).
