RCB's Smriti Mandhana Praises Grace Harris and Lauren Bell After Dominant Win
RCB's Impressive Victory Over UP Warriorz
Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 12: After a commanding nine-wicket victory against UP Warriorz, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana commended the exceptional performances of Grace Harris and Lauren Bell. She noted how she simply needed to take a single while Grace was hitting the bowlers with power.
Grace Harris delivered a stunning 85 runs off just 40 balls, while Nadine de Klerk (2/28) and Lauren Bell (1/16) played pivotal roles in limiting UPW to 143/5, allowing RCB to chase down the target in a mere 12.1 overs.
"Watching Grace hit those balls was the best view I could have asked for. We had a quick chat about our batting order, considering she can also play in the middle order, which she does for Australia. However, she opens for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash. We all recognized how dangerous she can be at the start, and if she gets going, it feels like the match is slipping away from the opposition. So, we decided to back her during the powerplay. She has been in great form, just smashing the ball," Grace shared during the post-match interview.
"Honestly, all I need to do is take a single, and she keeps going. It was incredible to watch. I wouldn’t want to rate it because that feels inappropriate. But players like Shafali (Verma) and Grace make T20 cricket feel easy," she added.
Regarding Lauren's economical bowling, Smriti Mandhana remarked that in the initial three overs, "she isn’t allowing anyone to touch the ball, and I believe she can maintain that to set the tone for us."
"Conceding just six overs and around 30 runs is how you kick off a bowling innings after winning the toss," she continued.
Smriti expressed satisfaction with the team's bowling performance, highlighting their execution and ability to take wickets.
Grace, who earned the 'Player of the Match' title, expressed her joy over her batting success and her enjoyment of being part of RCB. "I have always loved the WPL competition. RCB has a fantastic setup, and I’m really enjoying my time here. Regarding opening the batting, I initially thought I would face an older ball, so I was preparing for change-up deliveries. However, Malo (Malolan Rangarajan, the head coach) suggested I might want to face the new ball, and I thought that was great," she explained.
She described Smriti as a "classy and calm batter," adding, "Watching her bat is a great reminder that you don’t need to over-hit the ball. She makes batting look effortless, smooth, and technically sound, which is inspiring."