यूपी वॉरियर्स vs रॉयल चैलेंजर्स बैंगलोर, मैच 18 Commentary, Live Updates

What's next? One finalist has been confirmed, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru now able to put their feet up and watch how the rest of the league stage unfolds. Despite this defeat, UP Warriorz are mathematically alive, but it will take some drastic results for them to progress. With two games left in the league stage, two spots remain up for grabs, and four teams are still in contention. Up next, the Gujarat Giants face the Mumbai Indians on Friday, 30th January. Plenty is at stake. A win for Gujarat sends them through to the Eliminator, and the same reward awaits Mumbai if they come out on top. Defeat, however, brings nervous calculations. Gujarat, with an inferior net run rate, would be left watching the clash between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals with bated breath. A loss for Mumbai would put them in the same boat, although with a slightly better NRR. The first ball of Match 19 will be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as always, you can join us early for the build-up. See you then. Cheers!

Grace Harris is the Player of the Match - It was an all-round show from the Aussie, 2/22 with the ball and a 37-ball 75 with the bat. She giggles and says that she is glad to be classified as an all-rounder for the game, and adds that she was happy when Smriti Mandhana gave her the ball. Mentions that she has been working on a few things with the bat, has kind of reverted to older patterns, and that it seems to be working as she feels more free and happy. Shares that she has worked on her head position and made some technical tweaks, which have allowed her access to more parts of the ground. She explains that they go through tactical discussions on how to approach a spinner, whether to play from the crease or step out, and that she is trying not to overthink. States that she is fairly powerful and often in an advantageous position compared to others, so she tries to cash in when she can and free herself up. On her partnership with Mandhana, Harris smiles and replies that when they glove-tap, she is the one using all the oxygen, while Smriti remains composed and knows her game. Further adds that Smriti allows her to talk freely and helps her refocus. Grace also shares that Mandhana gives her a bit of a heads-up on what ball is coming.

The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Smriti Mandhana says that UP Warriorz started really well with the bat, and she is pleased with the way her bowlers fought back from there. She gives special praise to Grace Harris for coming in to bowl for the first time in the tournament and picking up two crucial wickets, while also crediting Nadine De Klerk and the rest of the attack for chipping in and executing their plans well. Mandhana adds that over the last couple of games, the focus has been on staying practical and not getting carried away emotionally. She feels the team has played good cricket throughout the tournament and believes consistency in messaging from the support staff, whether in wins or losses, has helped keep the group grounded. Looking ahead, Mandhana says the players will enjoy a short break to switch off before coming back together to prepare for the final.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

The 'dot ball' queen has a word - Lauren Bell says that they started the tournament really strongly and she is delighted to qualify for the final. She adds that it is nice to get a bit of downtime before the final. Shares that the ball is coming out of her hand nicely. She mentions that she is clear about her role and what Smriti Mandhana wants from her, and is happy to contribute in whatever way the team needs. When asked about their thoughts when they saw Deepti Sharma coming out to open with Meg Lanning, Bell replies that they had prepared for a few different options. She explains that the options for her against a left-hander are to target the pads and angle the ball across her. She feels there was a bit more bounce on offer for her tonight. Bell also believes they could have posted a strong total had they batted first.

The captain of UP Warriorz - Meg Lanning says it was a disappointing night for her side. She feels they had a reasonable platform with the bat but could not carry on and convert it into something substantial. She believes it has been a theme through the tournament that every time they get going with the bat, they give it away, making things easier for the opposition. Lanning says that her side did not put in their best performance and could not come up with answers against Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris. She mentions that in T20 cricket, batters need to convert starts. Admits that she got a start, but needed to keep going. Believes that the long break between games did not play a major role and is frank in admitting that RCB outplayed them.

Threw away the start - UP Warriorz will rue a batting collapse that undid all their early good work. For a change, they enjoyed a solid start, cruising to 50 without loss in the Powerplay, with the new opening pair of Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma putting on 74 for the first wicket. But once Meg departed, it became one-way traffic. No UP batter showed the resolve to dig in alongside Deepti, and the innings unravelled quickly. Nadine De Klerk was the chief tormentor, striking twice up front and then returning to add two more. She now wears the Purple Cap as the leading wicket-taker of the season with 15 scalps. The surprise act was Grace Harris, bowling for the first time this edition and picking up the key wickets of Harleen Deol and Chloe Tryon.

CRASH! BANG! WALLOP! It's all over in the blink of an eye. A scintillating batting display from RCB seals the deal in emphatic fashion. Grace Harris brought the power and timing, Smriti Mandhana matched it with elegance and placement, and together they turned the chase into a procession. Every bowler was dominated, and everything on offer was put away with interest. RCB were in cruise control from the word go, dragging the asking rate below six by the end of the Powerplay. At one stage, it felt less like a live contest and more like a rolling highlight reel of boundaries. This was thorough dominance. With this, Royal Challengers Bengaluru complete a double over UP Warriorz, both victories commanding in nature, winning by 9 wickets in Navi Mumbai with 47 balls to spare and following it up with an 8-wicket win here with 41 balls remaining.

Third time lucky!!! RCB had been knocking on the door ever since qualifying for the playoffs, chasing a direct entry into the final. They stumbled twice but have finally broken the jinx and stormed into the final. It was a neat, professional performance this evening, one that fully deserved more than just a place in the final. On this showing, lifting the trophy for a second time would feel perfectly fitting.

FOUR! RCB ARE IN THE FINAL! Flighted, full and outside off with a hint of turn away, Smriti Mandhana gets down on one knee, fetches it from outside off and powers the sweep over mid-wicket for the winning runs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the chase with an eight-wicket victory, with 41 balls to spare.

A consolation wicket for Asha Sobhana. Richa Ghosh joins Smriti Mandhana out in the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Just as the scores are level, a wicket falls. Tossed up, full and around middle with a hint of turn away, Voll comes down the track looking for a big heave over the leg side but only manages a top edge. It balloons towards mid off, where Simran Shaikh settles under it and takes the catch cleanly. This will only delay the inevitable.

FIFTY FOR MANDHANA! Off just 26 balls, her second half-century this season. Floated and full, around off, Smriti runs down the track and eases it to long off for a run.

Turning in from around off, Mandhana goes back and defends it to the off side.

Short and on off, punched to covers.

SIX! Mandhana launches. Asha spots the charge and pulls the length back, sending it short around middle. Smriti adjusts beautifully and muscles it high and handsome over long on for a commanding maximum.

Walks forward and knocks a full ball down to long on for a run.

9 runs more needed for RCB to secure a direct entry into the final. Asha Sobhana comes back. She went for 16 runs in her only over so far.

Pandey lands it on a length around middle and leg, and Voll once again goes for the paddle, guiding it down to fine leg. It races away and the fielder does well near the rope to pull it back. The third umpire checks and confirms it is clean. Just a single taken. Nine needed now.

Angling away from the batter, on a shorter length, Smriti forces it to deep cover for a run.

SIX! Smriti Mandhana has nailed that. Short on middle and sitting up nicely, she swivels quickly and unleashes a powerful pull, sending it soaring over square leg. A statement shot as RCB continue to show their full range.

Gets across the stumps and paddles a length ball down to fine leg for a run.

FOUR! That is shovelled away with intent. Length ball outside off, Voll stays back, brings the bottom hand into play and powers it down towards wide long on to pick up the boundary.

Pandey serves a length ball, around off, Voll again walks across the stumps for the paddle shot but doesn't middle it properly. This time it comes off from the top part of the blade and lobs behind the keeper. They get two runs.

Fullish and on middle, Voll eases it down to long on for a run. 24 needed off 54 balls.

FOUR! That will break the monotony of dot balls. Flighted around off and skidding in, Voll shuffles across the stumps and uses the pace nicely, paddling it fine past the keeper and down to the fine leg fence.

Make it 4 dot balls. Flatter arm ball on middle, Voll stands opened up in her stance as she defends it from the back foot.

Gets away with another short ball. Outside off, cut from the back foot to covers. Three dots.

Flighted and full, around off, it's driven down to mid off.

Short and outside off, Voll cuts but finds the fielder at covers.

Sophie Ecclestone is back on. 0/9 in her 1 over.

At 104.7 kph, not all that short, on middle. Voll swivels and pulls it to deep backward square leg for one.

On a back of a length, outside off, Mandhana guides it behind point and crosses over.

FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! Shikha pushes the length up, on off, Mandhana has a swing through the line and plays an uppish drive. Sophie Ecclestone dives to her left at mid on but the ball bounces wide of her and races away.

On a length, on middle and leg, Georgia works it behind square on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.

Full and on middle, driven to mid on by Voll.

A wicket against the run of play. The danger of Grace has been removed, but she has almost put the chase to bed here. Georgia Voll joins Mandhana in the middle.

OUT! CASTLED! End of a knock of high quality from Grace Harris. Shikha returns to the attack and bowls it on a back of a length. She keeps the stumps in play, but the ball stays a bit low. Harris ends up playing all around it as she tries to clip it away on the leg side. It sneaks past the inside edge and shatters the stumps. Harris falls after scoring a well-made 75. 36 needed more, off 65 balls.

Flat and short, on off, Harris punches it to long off for a single. 15 runs off Tryon's first over.

Shorter and quicker, on off, Mandhana looks to use the pace and run it down. It is cut off by the sliding short third fielder. They cross.

FOUR! Easy pickings! A hat-trick of fours for the RCB skipper. Chloe errs in line on a full ball. Sprays it on the pads, Mandhana does not miss out as she sweeps it past short fine leg for another boundary.

FOUR! This time, behind square and Smriti picks up another four. Tryon stays around the wicket and this goes across the left-hander. Mandhana makes use of the angle and guides it between backward point and short third. 100 comes up for RCB.

FOUR! Good shot! Short and sliding across off, Mandhana hangs on the back foot and gets on top of the bounce. She punches it past the diving point fielder for a four.

Loosener first up from Tryon, drops it way too short, on off. Harris drags the pull to wide long on for a single.

Chloe Tryon is introduced to the attack.

A dot after a cat and mouse battle. First, Deepti bailed out and then on the second go, Smriti returned the favour. The ball was finally delivered, and Mandhana pushed it back to Deepti, who dived to her right to make the stop.

Deepti switches to around the wicket, full and on leg, Harris works it square on the leg side for a single.

There is a mini-conference in the middle. Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone are deep in discussion, plotting ways to put the brakes on this carnage.

FOUR! Hit flat this time but the result is the same. Deepti stays full and at the sticks, Harris just holds her shape and smacks it back past the bowler. Sharma sticks out her right hand but the ball is past her by then. The umpire was in the firing line, and he did well to get out of the way. No chance for long off.

FOUR! The boundaries keep flowing! Deepti hangs it up there, on middle, Grace gets on the front foot quickly and just swings through the line. She pumps it back over the bowler's head and picks up a boundary.

Low full toss, on off, Mandhana pats it through covers for a single.

FOUR! Nicely done! Deepti drops it short, outside off, Smriti has all the time in the world to rock back and she punches it between point and cover-point for a boundary.

Meg Lanning is looking clueless at the moment. This is insane striking from Grace Harris. Deepti Sharma comes back into the attack. 0/10 in her 1 over so far.

FOUR! Simran Shaikh should have done better there! Asha tosses it up, full and on off. Harris presses on the front foot, opens up the front hip and plays the lofted drive wide of long off. Shaikh moves to her left but cannot get her body behind the ball. She looks to make the stop by staying side on but the ball bounces past her and into the ropes. 16 runs off Asha's first over.

FOUR! Gets it through! Fractionally short, not all that wide, Harris presses back at first before going back. She waits on it and threads the cut wide of backward point for a four.

Offers flight, on a length, on middle. Smriti dances down the track and looks to go over mid-wicket. Mistimes the lofted hit and ends up hitting it down towards long on. Just a single.

Sliding across the left-hander, Smriti pushes this full ball to cover.

Oh, that kept low! On the shorter side, on off. Harris does well to drop her bat down. She bunts it to long on for a single.

SIX! High and handsome! That will be FIFTY FOR HARRIS! She loves batting against UP Warriorz. She achieved her WPL career best score of 85 last time she came up against them and has put on a show once again. Floated up, full and outside off, Harris reaches out in front and mows it over wide long on for a six.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Well begun is half done, and RCB have certainly begun in style. They went on the attack from the word go, with Grace Harris leading the charge and being particularly severe on the UP bowlers. RCB have raced to 63, dragging the asking rate down below six. The only way UP Warriorz can stay alive here is by taking wickets. Can they find a way back?

Very full, moving away in the air, Smriti takes it on the full and drives it to covers, where the fielder dives to her left and makes the stop. 6 runs off the final over of the Powerplay. At the end of 6 overs, RCB are 63/0.

Keeps it full again, on middle. Harris wrists it wide of mid-wicket and turns the strike over.

Full and on middle. Harris firmly pushes it back to Shikha. Pandey collects and fakes a throw at the batting end. A bit of frustration creeping in.

FOUR! Just a push and it races away! Shikha hurls it on a length, on middle. Grace leans on and eases herself into the drive. The ball rolls past the stumps, and neither the mid off nor the mid on fielder stands a chance.

Angled into the pads, on a length, Grace works it straight to short fine leg.

Wide! On a good length, shaping down leg. Grace misses out on the tickle. Amy Jones does well to get a hand on it whilst standing up to the stumps and prevents the ball from racing towards the fence.

Curving back into the right-hander, on a length. Harris looks to pick it up off the pads but misses and gets hit on the front pad.

UP Warriorz are left scratching their heads for answers. Shikha Pandey is back.

FOUR! Smriti Mandhana joins the party. A loopy delivery, full and right in the slot, and she gets into position early, lofting it cleanly over mid on. Nine from the over, and RCB continue to cruise.

Short and on off, Smriti Mandhana gets back and pushes it to covers.

Fires it full and on middle, Grace helps it to mid-wicket for one.

Loopy and outside off, pushed a bit aerially but safely to mid off.

Full and around off, driven back to the bowler who stopped it with a dive.

FOUR! No bowler is being spared here. Tossed up, full and on middle, Harris charges down the track and clobbers it straight back over the bowler's head. Fifty comes up quickly for RCB as the tempo stays high.

Spin from both ends. Sophie Ecclestone comes on from the other end.

JUST SHORT! Full and flighted around off with a bit of turn, Harris goes hard but gets an inside edge that loops towards mid-wicket. It hangs in the air for a moment and drops just in front of Lanning. The ball is deflected towards long on and they cross. 10 from the over.

Leans forward to a full ball and strokes it through covers. Rotates the strike.

Short and wide outside off, Mandhana cuts but finds point.

Fires it full and down the leg side, Harris helps it to square leg for one.

SIX! Effortless power. Flighted, full and around off, Harris uses her long levers and lofts it casually straight down the ground. Long on is in place, but she can only turn and watch as it sails comfortably over her head.

Flighted and outside off, Mandhana presses forward and drives it through covers for a single.

Meg Lanning turns to Deepti Sharma in search of a breakthrough. Smriti Mandhana's struggles against off spin have been well-documented. Deepti has dismissed her 3 times in 4 innings in WPL, according to the on-air graphic.

FOUR! Just stand and admire. Width on offer again outside off, short in length, and Harris latches onto it, hammering the cut shot square of the wicket on the off side for yet another boundary. 20 runs from the over and RCB are cruising!

FOUR! Three in a row for Harris. Gaud looks to change it up with the slower one, but the line drifts down the leg side on a length. Harris is quick to read it, closes the face of the bat and works it neatly wide of short fine. Another boundary, and the pressure continues to build.

FOUR! One more, and Harris keeps the pressure on. Short again and outside off, she camps back and throws her hands at it, thwacking it through the covers. No stopping that, and the boundaries continue to flow.

FOUR! Whacked away! Short and wide outside off, and Harris jumps all over the width, cracking it through cover-point for a boundary. Gaud gives her a bit too much to work with, and it is punished.

Lands it on a length, around off, Grace pushes it from the crease to covers.

FOUR! Harris is clearly in the mood. Fullish on middle and right in the slot, she rolls her wrists beautifully and whips it away towards deep mid wicket. Chloe Tryon throws herself at it near the rope, but the ball wins the race.

UP Warriorz don't have many runs to play with. Does Meg Lanning stick with Kranti Gaud? Yes. She has shown faith in the youngster to come good.

Angles in a length delivery on off, Harris just bunts it gently towards mid on and pinches a quick single, taken right under the fielder's nose.

Movement away from the left-hander, around off, Mandhana stays back, plays late and eases it through cover-point for one.

Fullish and on off, swinging in, Harris pushes it from the inner half to mid on and races across to the other end.

Back of a length, around off, it's steered through cover-point for a run.

FOUR! Smriti Mandhana gets off the mark in style. There is width on offer outside off on a shorter length, she rocks back, waits on the ball, and with minimal fuss guides it past backward point. All about timing, and it races away.

The famous inswinger from Shikha. Full and curling in around middle and leg, Harris fails to flick and it deflects off her pads to square leg. They cross for a leg bye.

Who will bowl from the other end? It will be the experienced right-arm quick, Shikha Pandey. Amy Jones is standing up to the stumps.

Fuller and on middle, Harris flicks it towards short fine where the fielder gets a hand on it and parries it to deep square leg. A single taken and RCB are off to a fine start.

Around off, on a length and angling in, Grace is forward as she pushes it to mid off.

Back of a length, outside off and nipping away, Harris sits back to run it down but finds short third.

FOUR! Despite two fielders in the deep, Harris finds the gap with ease. Gaud errs again with a low full toss on middle, and Harris takes full toll, flicking it sweetly through mid wicket. The fielder dives near the rope but cannot get close enough.

A good comeback by Kranti. Delivers it on a length and outside off, shaping away, Harris pushes inside the line and misses.

FOUR! And RCB are up and running. Gaud offers a friendly full toss on middle, and Harris happily accepts the invitation, muscling it away behind square leg to get the innings off the mark with a boundary.