In-form RCB look to continue winning run against sliding GG
Vadodara (PTI): On a roll, the Smriti Mandhala-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to extend their winning run when they face Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League here on Monday.
Unbeaten RCB are the team to beat in the tournament, having registered their fourth consecutive win on Saturday.
GG, on the other hand, started on a bright note, winning their first two games before losing the next two to be placed third in the WPL table.
The icing on the cake for RCB is skipper Mandhana's return to form as she struck a match-defining 96 against Delhi Capitals in their emphatic eight-wicket win on Saturday.
Opener Grace Harris too has got good starts in the four matches but failed to convert them into big scores, while Georgia Voll too rose to the occasion with an unbeaten 54.
RCB boast of a strong batting line-up in the form of hard-hitting wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh, Nadine de Klerk, Gautami Naik and Radha Yadav.
While RCB's bowling unit too is a potent force with the likes of Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare providing the initial impetus, able support is provided from spinners like Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat and Yadav.
RCB would also take confidence from their 32-run win over GG in their first face-off this season at Navi Mumbai two days ago.
GG, led by Australian Ashleigh Gardner, consists of a formidable batting line-up which includes Australian great Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Kanika Ahuja, Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Bharti Fulmali but in the last two matches they failed to dish out an all-round performance to get over the line.
GG's bowling is being led by Renuka Singh, who has failed to impress in the tournament so far.
Devine has been GG's stand-out performer with both bat and ball, but the likes of Kashvee Gautam, Gardner and Wareham will need to pitch in with the ball against RCB.
Teams (from)
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (c), Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Ayushi Soni.
Royal Challengers Bengalulru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha and Sayali Satghare.
Match starts: 7.30pm.
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Cold conditions intensify in Kashmir; IMD forecasts spells of wet weather
Srinagar (PTI): Cold conditions tightened grip over Kashmir as the minimum temperatures plunged across the valley, with Sonamarg the coldest recorded place in the valley, officials said on Sunday.
The meteorological department has forecast spells of wet weather, especially in the higher reaches of the valley over the next few days.
Officials said Srinagar recorded a low of minus 4.7 degrees Celsius while Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, which received moderate snowfall on Friday, recorded a low of minus 8.9 degrees Celsius.
Shopian in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.7 degrees Celsius while Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg tourist resort in north Kashmir's Baramulla district registered a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night's minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, saw the minimum settle at minus 4.8 degrees Celsius.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, they added.
The Kashmir Valley is currently in the midst of 'Chilla-i-Kalan', the 40-day harshest winter period, during which night temperatures frequently plunge several degrees below the freezing point, and chances of snowfall are the highest.
'Chilla-i-Kalan', which began on December 21 last year, will end on January 30, followed by 'Chilla Khurd' and 'Chillai Bachha'.
The Meteorological Department has said back-to-back western disturbances would impact Kashmir, causing wet spells over the next few days.
Light snow at isolated higher reaches is possible on Saturday and Sunday, while light to moderate rain/snow is likely on January 19 and 20, it said.
The MeT office said there is a possibility of light snow at isolated higher reaches on January 21, following which light to moderate rain or snow is likely till January 25. A few districts of the Chenab valley, Pir-Panjal range and south Kashmir districts might get heavy rain or snow from January 23 to 24.
