Sport

White Ferns skipper wins Indian Premier League title

09:44 am on 18 March 2024

Royal Challengers Bangalore's players (including Sophie Devine) hold the trophy after winning the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL) Twenty20 cricket final match against Delhi Capitals. Photo: AFP

White Ferns captain Sophie Devine is a Women's Indian Premier League champion.

Devine opened the batting and scored 32 as the Royal Challengers Bangalore chased down their target of 114 with three balls to spare to beat the Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in the final.

The Capitals batted first with opener Shafali Verma top scoring with 44, though Delhi failed to bat out their 20 overs with Bangalore bowler Shreyanka Patil taking four wickets.

Sophie Molineux though was the pick of the Bangalore bowlers with the spinner's three wickets in one over proving crucial in restricting the Delhi total.

Spinners Molineux, Patil and Asha Sobhana took nine wickets for just 46 runs between them as the Capitals collapsed to be all out for 113.

Sophie Devine of Royal Challengers Bangalore Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Devine and Bangalore captain Smriti Mandhana started their chase well, with Devine first out for 32 off 27 balls before Mandhaha was dismissed for 31 off 39

Australian Ellyse Perry then took control scoring 35 off 37 and was supported by wicketkeepr Richa Ghosh whose 17 runs off 14 balls helped guide the Royal Challengers home with three balls to spare.

It's Devine's first IPL title.

Devine and fellow White Fern Amelia Kerr, who played in the elimination final, will miss Tuesday's first T20 against England in Dunedin.