WPL 2024: RCB captain Smriti Mandhana praises ‘calm’ S. Meghana’s ability to change gears

Royal Challengers Bangalore are currently No. 1 on the WPL 2024 Points Table, based on number of wins and net run rate. (Photo courtesy: RCB Media)

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Smriti Madhana heaped praise on her side’s No. 3 batter, S Meghana, who turned in two crucial knocks in the Royal Challengers’ consecutive victories in WPL 2024.

After making a 44-ball 53 batting in what proved to be a momentum-changing contribution in the Royal Challengers’ final-ball win against the UP Warriorz on Saturday, Meghana guided the team home with an unbeaten 28-ball 36 against Gujarat Giants on Tuesday. With this, RCB have won both matches they've played in WPL 2024 - placing them first on the WPL 2024 Points Table with four points and a net run rate of +1.665 (the Mumbai Indians also have four points, with an NRR of +0.488).

“Meghana has been a seasoned player in (the) domestic (set-up),” Smriti Mandhana told the host broadcaster in the post-match interview. “She's had a really good season domestically. And we've seen a little bit of her in the Indian set-up as well.

“So, for her to come in the last match, especially, I think she was just brilliant to take the team through and even with Richa [Ghosh] – her partnership last night (match) and even today, I think she was really calm. The best thing about her is that she can really strike at a good strike rate or even anchor the innings."

That the Royal Challengers find themselves atop the points table with four points from their two wins and a healthy 1.665 net run-rate to boot, are in part down to Meghana’s impressive showings with the bat. Her inclusion in the Royal Challengers set-up – she was bought at the December 9, 2023, mini-auction at her base price of INR 30 lakh after being released by the Giants – has reaped good dividends for the franchise so far.

“Obviously, I've got a lot of support from Smriti and the team,” Meghana said after the match. “Like, they were just telling me to back my strengths. I think that has given so much confidence to me -- to just play my natural game and, at the same time, take a little bit of time if I'm not getting those runs. So, they have really supported me and to play my natural game.

“Today I just wanted to take the confidence from the first game and play my natural game and utilise the Powerplay,” she said. “That's the only thing and it has worked out well for me. After Smriti got out, I just wanted to rotate the strike, and get closer [to the target] and give strike to Perry as well. In between I was getting those boundaries, so all in all, it worked well for me. I'm just a bit more relaxed going at No. 3, holding my nerves and just trying to hit whatever is in my area.”

Meghana has 17 caps in T20Is and 3 in ODIs. Her last appearances for India came in 2022 - in October in the Asia Cup in Sylhet in T20Is and against New Zealand in Queenstown in February in 50-over cricket. At the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa, she was among the reserves. A good run of form at WPL 2024 could open doors for the upcoming Bangladesh tour that will serve as a preparatory exercise for the T20 World Cup in the country, to be held in September-October.