Devine, who represented New Zealand in hockey before joining the cricket team as a bowler and often batted at number 11, played an innings that will go down as one of the best in T20 history. Devine hit eight towering sixes and nine fours during her time in the middle.
Earlier, South Africa’s star batter Laura Wolvaardt top-scored with a scintillating 42-ball 68 before Gujarat Giants were bowled out for 188. Ashleigh Gardner (41 off 26 balls) also batted well before Harleen Deol (12 not out) and Dayalan Hemalatha (16 not out) ended GG’s innings with two sixes and two fours on a clueless Megan Schutt.
Chasing a lofty target, RCB got off to a flying start, with skipper Smriti Mandhana (37) and Sophie Devine’s breathtaking batting sending the GG bowlers on a leather hunt.
While there were numerous sixes and fours, Devine’s maximum against left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar was the highlight, smoking her over midwicket for the tournament’s biggest six at 94 metres.
Devine’s willow produced a four and two more sixes as RCB raced to 125 for no loss in only the ninth over. This came an over after White Fern Devine smashed Deol for an 86-metre six over to reach her half-century in just 20 balls.
The 100 was reached in the eighth over, and what appeared to be an imposing total at the start of the RCB innings now appeared very much within reach. Finally, Kim Garth ended Devine’s knock, but by then, she had already paved the way for RCB’s victory.
Earlier, after Sneh Rana won the toss and chose to bat first, both Sophia Dunkley and Wolvaardt showed early promise, hitting two boundaries each in the first two overs.
Dunkley’s leg stump was knocked over a ball after pulling Devine over midwicket for a four. The batter had shuffled across too much to play the scoop shot over fine leg to a good length delivery.
Ellyse Perry, who was introduced into the attack, started well, conceding only a single off her first five balls before conceding a boundary off a half-volley at the Brabourne Stadium. Nonetheless, Perry’s over was excellent.
Leg-spinner Asha Shobana, like Perry, bowled a tidy first over, conceding only five runs.
Bose ended Meghana and Wolvaardt’s 63-run partnership when the bowler had the Indian batter stumped by Richa Ghosh in what appeared to be a careless dismissal.
