Thrust into the Bengaluru limelight, Smriti and Asha sparkle at ‘home’

RCB fans' chants echo in unexpected places as Smriti Mandhana shines in India's ODI victory over South Africa.

Royal Challengers Bangalore fans seldom miss an opportunity to chant their franchise’s name in stadia. At times, it has come across as jarring, for echoes of “RCB, RCB...” could even be heard in the totally unrelated universe of Indian Super League football.

On June 16 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a section of supporters burst into the same chorus, during India women’s thumping 143-run ODI victory over South Africa, but for once it didn’t feel totally out of place. 

They were for Smriti Mandhana, who scored her sixth ODI century, and, to a lesser degree, leggie Asha Sobhana, who claimed a four-wicket haul on debut. Smriti captained RCB to the Women’s Premier League trophy in March and Asha was the second-highest wicket-taker (12) in that victorious campaign. 

“Post WPL, it feels like I’m more from Bangalore than Maharashtra,” Smriti said after the match, with a wide grin. “I really like the crowd support here.”

The adulation wasn’t without reason. Smriti’s 117-run knock agains the Proteas stood out for its studiousness. Prior to this, she had crossed the half-century mark 31 times in ODIs but reached hundred on just five occasions. But on a not-so-easy pitch, she put her head down, overcame mid-innings cramps and bailed her team out of trouble from a precarious 99 for five.

“I started off pretty well, and whenever you get two cover drives in the first over you always feel good,” the 27-year-old said. “[But] whenever I thought of taking the game on, there was a wicket. Maybe that helped me stay at the crease.

“My target was to take the team over 250. I started off in the 90s [strike-rate] but had to cut down my shots midway. There were a few dot balls but I still had to be calm about it,” the southpaw added.