WPL Opener: Perry, Richa fifties power RCB to six-wicket win over Gujarat Giants
Vadodara, Feb 14 (PTI): Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry smashed forceful fifties as Royal Challengers Bengaluru pulled off the highest run chase in the history of Women's Premier League to register a thrilling six-wicket win over Gujarat Giants here on Friday.
Perry (57, 34b, 6x4, 2x6) and Ghosh (64 not out, 27b, 7x4, 4x6) were in sublime touch as defending champions RCB scaled down the target of 202 with ease in the tournament opener.
It was a remarkable turnaround for RCB as they were tottering at 14 for two after second over, as Ashleigh Gardner ousted openers Smriti Mandhana (9) Danny Wyatt (4) in the space of four balls.
But from thereon, Perry and Raghavi Bist (25, 27b) added 86 runs for the third wicket to steady the ship, before the latter fell to pacer Deandra Dottin.
Perry, who was dropped on 19, made full use of that chance to punish Giants bowlers, who were highly wayward and buckled under pressure.
Perry, who is still recovering from a hip injury that she sustained during the recent Women's Ashes, brought up her fifty with a six off Dottin off 27 balls.
The Aussie soon fell to Sayali Satghare while trying to up the ante, but Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja (30 not out, 13b, 4x4) took over from that point.
They pummelled the clueless GG bowlers during their 93-run stand as Ghosh, who was dropped on zero, made them pay with a 23-ball fifty.
It was enough for RCB to canter home as they whittled down 64 runs off the last five overs.
Earlier, contrasting fifties by skipper Gardner and veteran Beth Mooney guided Gujarat Giants to a healthy 201/5.
Mooney was conventional while striking 56 off 42 (8x4) but Gardner was all fire and brimstone en route a 79 off 37 balls (3x4, 8x6).
After losing Laura Wolvaardt and D Hemalatha with 41 on the board, Gujarat recovered well through Mooney and Gardner.
The Aussie pair added 44 runs for the third wicket, before Mooney perished playing a pull off leg-spinner Prema Rawat, giving a simple catch to Smriti Mandhana.
But a bigger storm was awaiting RCB, as Gardner and West Indian Dottin (25, 13b, 3x4, 1x6) added 67 runs in just over five overs.
Unlike Mooney, who relied on placement, Gardner was more aggressive, using feet against spinners and hitting easily through the line against pacers.
The Australian gave a belting to Prema and India U19 pacer VJ Joshitha, clobbering them for three sixes each in an over.
Dottin fell to pacer Renuka Singh while going for a mighty heave.
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Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see."
"Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
The senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar assured the court that he would surrender by Saturday.
The court listed the matter for hearing next week.
Jaideep Sengar, 50, sought the bail extension on the grounds that he is suffering from oral cancer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had earlier said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was fabricated.
In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.
The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.
The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.
The high court had granted interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds.
Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019, for raping the minor in 2017.
On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with Jaideep Sengar, was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor's father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.
The trial court said no leniency could be shown for killing a family's sole breadwinner.
