<p>Bengaluru: A new entrant, a middle-order warrior and an uncapped leg spinner held fort to give the Royal Challengers Bangalore a winning start against a fighting UP Warriorz at the M Chinnaswamy stadium here on Saturday. </p><p>Sabbhineni Meghana’s 44-ball 53, Richa Ghosh’s 37-ball 62 and Sobhana Asha’s fifer (5-22) were the highlights in their two-run victory. </p><p>However, it was UPW who began on the front foot by making RCB’s fancied top-order of Sophie Devine, captain Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry look mediocre. But Meghana and Richa’s heroics for their team ended with the scoreboard reading 157/6 in 20 overs. </p><p>The duo’s fight seemed to have given enough impetus to the rest, especially the 32-year-old Asha as her timely scalps troubled UPW during their chase. Despite the hiccups during Alyssa Healy-led side’s chase, Grace Harris (38 runs) and Shweta Sehrawat (31) fought hard to turn the tables. But their effort fell a tad bit short in another close finish. </p>.WPL 2 promises to be bigger, better.<p>At the beginning of the much-awaited clash, opener Sophie, entrusted with giving RCB a good start, was the first to fall in the third over to spinner Grace. As in-coming batter Meghana took little time to get the scoreboard ticking, Tahila McGrath's short ball had Smriti mistiming a pull shot that landed in the hands of Vrinda Dinesh in the short fine leg area before Ellyse departed after scoring eight runs. With the star-studded top-order back in the pavilion for 54 runs in 7.5 overs, the situation for the home side looked grim. </p><p>It was then that the first strategic time-out taken by UPW after the ninth over that gave RCB a much-needed breather to find composure. Meghana had made herself comfortable at the crease by then with Richa determined to follow suit.</p><p>Whatever that coach Luke Williams instructed seemed to have done the trick as the duo stood strong from then on to form a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket. </p><p>Their quick running between the wickets complimented each other's powerful shot-making, as Meghana’s deft touches and Richa’s flicks kept the crowd entertained. </p><p>Was that effort going to be enough? Turns out, on Saturday, it was. </p><p><strong>Brief scores:</strong> </p><p><strong>Royal Challengers Bangalore:</strong> 157/6 in 20 overs (Sabbhineni Meghana 53, Richa Ghosh 62; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-24) </p><p><strong>UP Warriorz:</strong> 155/7 in 20 overs (Grace Harris 38, Shweta Sehrawat 31; Sobhana Asha 5-22. PoM: Sobhana Asha.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A new entrant, a middle-order warrior and an uncapped leg spinner held fort to give the Royal Challengers Bangalore a winning start against a fighting UP Warriorz at the M Chinnaswamy stadium here on Saturday. </p><p>Sabbhineni Meghana’s 44-ball 53, Richa Ghosh’s 37-ball 62 and Sobhana Asha’s fifer (5-22) were the highlights in their two-run victory. </p><p>However, it was UPW who began on the front foot by making RCB’s fancied top-order of Sophie Devine, captain Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry look mediocre. But Meghana and Richa’s heroics for their team ended with the scoreboard reading 157/6 in 20 overs. </p><p>The duo’s fight seemed to have given enough impetus to the rest, especially the 32-year-old Asha as her timely scalps troubled UPW during their chase. Despite the hiccups during Alyssa Healy-led side’s chase, Grace Harris (38 runs) and Shweta Sehrawat (31) fought hard to turn the tables. But their effort fell a tad bit short in another close finish. </p>.WPL 2 promises to be bigger, better.<p>At the beginning of the much-awaited clash, opener Sophie, entrusted with giving RCB a good start, was the first to fall in the third over to spinner Grace. As in-coming batter Meghana took little time to get the scoreboard ticking, Tahila McGrath's short ball had Smriti mistiming a pull shot that landed in the hands of Vrinda Dinesh in the short fine leg area before Ellyse departed after scoring eight runs. With the star-studded top-order back in the pavilion for 54 runs in 7.5 overs, the situation for the home side looked grim. </p><p>It was then that the first strategic time-out taken by UPW after the ninth over that gave RCB a much-needed breather to find composure. Meghana had made herself comfortable at the crease by then with Richa determined to follow suit.</p><p>Whatever that coach Luke Williams instructed seemed to have done the trick as the duo stood strong from then on to form a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket. </p><p>Their quick running between the wickets complimented each other's powerful shot-making, as Meghana’s deft touches and Richa’s flicks kept the crowd entertained. </p><p>Was that effort going to be enough? Turns out, on Saturday, it was. </p><p><strong>Brief scores:</strong> </p><p><strong>Royal Challengers Bangalore:</strong> 157/6 in 20 overs (Sabbhineni Meghana 53, Richa Ghosh 62; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-24) </p><p><strong>UP Warriorz:</strong> 155/7 in 20 overs (Grace Harris 38, Shweta Sehrawat 31; Sobhana Asha 5-22. PoM: Sobhana Asha.</p>