DC beat RCB by 25 runs in WPL
Bengaluru, Feb 29: Delhi Capitals braved a sensational battering from Smriti Mandhana to hand a fighting Royal Challengers Bangalore a 25-run defeat in their Women's Premier League match here on Thursday.
Mandhana fused power and grace to score 74 (43b, 10x4, 3x6) but other batters did not quite make it big as Royal Challengers, who were without indisposed star all-rounder Elysse Perry, ended up at 169 for nine.
The Capitals made a challenging 194 for five as Shafali Varma mustered a 31-ball 50 after they were asked to bat first.
But that total was under severe threat when Mandhana tore into the DC attack with panache.
They went off the blocks in an energetic fashion as Mandhana took it upon herself the task of leading her side's reply.
She started with two fours off pacer Marizanne Kaap (2/38) and the left-hander only stepped up on the aggression from that point.
Mandhana faced 28 balls in the Power Play segment and hammered 45 runs as the home team reached an impressive 52 for no loss after six overs.
Sophie Devine just had to watch all the fun from her end as Mandhana reached her first-ever WPL fifty in just 32 balls when she took a quick two off off-spinner Minnu Mani.
Devine too had her own moments like when she moussed two successive sixes off Minnu, one each over long-on and mid-wicket.
But the Kiwi batter soon fell to pacer Arundhati Reddy as her top-edged pull ended in the hands of Jess Jonassen.
However, Mandhana continued her aggressive ways and smoked Kapp over mid-wicket for a six. But the veteran South African had the last laugh as she uprooted the off-stump with a slower delivery that beat Mandhana's tentative swish.
Richa Ghosh gave RCB a glimmer of hope, biffing Arundhati for two consecutive pulled sixes but fell to the guile of Kapp, whose climbing delivery curtailed the wicketkeeper-batter's stay.
Thereafter the task only grew steeper for RCB as left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (3/21) produced an excellent spell. RCB lost six wickets for 18 runs at that stage.
Earlier, Verma (50, 3x4, 4x6) and Alice Capsey (46, 33b, 4x4, 2x6) added 82 runs for the second wicket as the Capitals recovered from the early loss of skipper Meg Lanning.
Kapp (32, 16b, 2x4, 3x6) and Jess Jonassen (36 not out, 16b, 4x4, 2x6) also played blinders towards the end to give a fillip to the Capitals as they added 58 runs for the fifth wicket in a little over four overs.
Verma, who was dropped on two by Shreyanka Patil off pacer Renuka Singh, and Capsey went about their task shifting seamlessly through the gears.
Verma gave a lot of steam to DC innings when she smashed left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux for a four and six off successive balls.
Capsey was more innovative in her shot selection, often bringing out reverse sweeps and scoops behind the stumper.
Verma reached her second fifty of this WPL with a six off off-spinner Shreyanka over mid-wicket.
But she fell in the very next ball, pulling Shreyanka straight into the hands of Georgia Wareham at mid-wicket.
De Klerk soon delivered a wonderful slow yorker to castle Capsey and Jemimah Rodrigues returned without contributing a single run as the Capitals slipped into a mini-slump.
However, Kapp and Jonassen took the RCB bowlers to the cleaners between 14th and 18th overs to ensure that DC would finish strong.
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Messi mania grips Kolkata as thousands welcome Argentine icon at 2.26 am
Kolkata (PTI): Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025.
The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite star.
Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security. A heavy convoy then escorted him to his hotel, where another huge crowd was waiting deep into the night.
Barricades, police deployment, and non-stop cheering completed a citywide eruption of "Messi mania."
Messi arrived with long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the next 72 hours, he will zip across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, meeting chief ministers, corporate leaders, Bollywood celebrities and eventually Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
Sleepless wait ends in disappointment
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Despite keeping vigil through the night, the wait ended in disappointment for many fans as they could not catch a glimpse of their icon.
Heavy security meant Messi was whisked out of the airport and taken to his hotel around 3.30 am through a back entrance, giving hundreds of waiting supporters a complete miss.
Only a handful of lucky airport staff managed a fleeting glimpse of the Argentine superstar as he stepped off the private Gulfstream V, looking dapper in a black suit over a white T-shirt, before being driven straight off the tarmac.
The Hyatt Regency lobby turned chaotic as fans sprinted across corridors shouting "Messi! Messi!" that echoed well past dawn.
The lobby resembled an Argentine fan club, dotted with sky-blue jerseys, scarves and flags. Breast-feeding infants clung to mothers, children raced around, and exhausted supporters sank into lobby sofas as the frenzy built up.
Messi checked into Room 730, with the entire seventh floor sealed off to ensure no movement around his suite.
With security at its peak, some fans who could afford it booked rooms in the hotel to stay as close to Messi as possible.
A family from New Alipore checked in a day early just so that their son, Krish Gupta, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan, would not miss a Messi moment.
"I'm a die-hard Ronaldo fan, so what? His biggest rival is coming to my city and I cannot miss the moment. So we planned to stay in the hotel a day in advance," said Krish, a Class 9 student of Birla High School.
He roamed the coffee shop with his mother and elder sister, anxious for a peek at the icon.
"I just want to tell him to play football with me. And if I'm not successful, I will go to the gym tomorrow morning to catch a glimpse of him. I have my autograph book ready and hopefully I will get a selfie."
High hopes
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Satadru Dutta, the sole promoter of the tour who received Messi at the airport, said the moment was historic for Kolkata.
"In 2011, he had come after becoming the captain, but now he is coming after winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d'Or. So, this is really special. I don't think he will come again, so it's about celebration," Dutta told reporters.
He said Messi's presence could give Indian football a real push.
"Never ever have so many sponsors come together for a football star. You can say this is for Messi, but even if 10 per cent of that money comes to the development of Indian football, it would be very big. This statue that has come up and will be unveiled in the morning is also the first-of-its-kind in the world. Messi is set to leave a legacy behind this time," he added.
Security was tightened across the city ahead of Messi's GOAT India Tour, with policemen at every crossing, sniffer dogs checking vehicles and heightened surveillance around the hotel.
Staff were busy preparing the themed decor, including two large three-layered fondant cakes in Christmas colours.
Outside the airport and later near the hotel, massive crowds braved the winter chill to welcome Messi.
Fans waved Argentina flags and jerseys, screamed his name and broke into chants as emotions ran high, some clapping, some crying, many overwhelmed at witnessing a once-in-a-generation legend in their city.
The Hyatt Regency became the epicentre of the frenzy, with street vendors selling scarves, flags and Messi No 10 jerseys.
A few fans turned up in wigs and full Argentine colours. "This is a lifetime opportunity. We will not sleep tonight and will head straight to the stadium in the morning. Today is celebration day," said one fan.
The Itinerary
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Messi begins his GOAT India Tour on Saturday with a sponsors' meet-and-greet before heading to the Salt Lake Stadium for a tribute programme featuring music, dance and an exhibition match between Mohun Bagan 'Messi' All Stars and Diamond Harbour 'Messi' All Stars.
He is scheduled to arrive at 10.50 am for interactions with both teams, a felicitation of Bengal's Santosh Trophy-winning side and a "Master Class with Messi" for kids. Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and Shah Rukh Khan will join the proceedings, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other dignitaries invited.
Messi will take a lap of honour before a virtual unveiling of his 70-foot statue at Lake Town.
He will then depart for Hyderabad at 2.05 pm for the evening leg at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, featuring a short exhibition match, a five-minute appearance by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a football clinic and felicitation.
He then heads to Mumbai for his event at the Wankhede. The leg will also feature a 45-minute philanthropic fashion event with Suárez and De Paul, preceded by a Padel Cup at the CCI.
The tour ends in Delhi where Messi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minerva Academy's triple youth-trophy winners will be felicitated, followed by a nine-a-side celebrity match.
Kolkata's tryst with footballers
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Kolkata's bond with football royalty dates back to 1977 when Pele's New York Cosmos played a 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens.
Pele returned in 2015 to greet the class of '77, telling the crowd: "You can never have another Pele."
Brazil's Dunga, Bebeto and Mauro Silva, and Colombia's René Higuita who showcased his scorpion-kick saves in 2012 all drew big turnouts. German great Oliver Kahn's 2008 farewell match at Salt Lake Stadium pulled more than one lakh spectators.
But no one stirred the city like Diego Maradona, whose 2008 and 2017 visits saw near-unprecedented crowds line the streets and stadiums. Uruguay's Diego Forlán, fresh from his Golden Ball win, received a similarly rousing welcome in 2010.
Then in 2011, Messi had visited the city captaining Argentina for the first time on foreign soil, leading them to a 1-0 win over Venezuela in an FIFA international friendly before a packed Salt Lake Stadium.
