SOUTH AFRICAN allrounder Nadine de Klerk struck 20 runs in the final over as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Mumbai Indians on the last ball in the opening match of the Women’s Premier League on Friday.
De Klerk finished unbeaten on 63 to guide Bengaluru to 157 for 7, sealing a three-wicket win while chasing Mumbai’s 154 for 6.
Her 63 came off 44 balls and included seven fours and two sixes at the DY Patil Stadium.
De Klerk also took 4 for 26 in the Mumbai innings and was named player of the match.
“If it is your day, you have to ensure you cash in,” De Klerk said after the game.
Bengaluru won the toss and chose to bowl.
Mumbai lost early wickets and slipped to 67 for 4 before a fifth-wicket stand of 82 in 49 balls between Sajeevan Sajana, who made 45, and Nicola Carey, who scored 40, lifted them to 154 for 6.
Bengaluru began quickly, with Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris scoring freely. They took 11 runs from the first over bowled by Nat Sciver-Brunt and 20 from the third to reach 40 before Shabnim Ismail dismissed Mandhana for 18.
Bengaluru then fell to 65 for 5 in the eighth over. De Klerk and Arundhati Reddy added 52 runs to leave the side needing 38 more.
Carey returned to take two wickets in the 17th over, leaving Bengaluru needing 18 from the final over. De Klerk did not score from the first two balls.
She hit the third ball for six over long-off and followed with a four behind square. With eight needed from two balls, De Klerk hit another six over midwicket before striking the final ball back over the bowler’s head to secure the win.
